Prevention Program Submission

Starting July 1, 2023, and annually thereafter, school districts must include in health education at least one hour (or one standard class period) of evidence-based instruction for students in grades 6-12 on suicide awareness and prevention, violence prevention and social inclusion. The Ohio Department of Education, in consultation with the Ohio departments of Public Safety and Mental Health and Addiction Services, will maintain a list of programs on suicide awareness and prevention, violence prevention and social inclusion as described in Ohio law. The list will include at least one option that is free or of no cost to schools and is currently available.

This webpage outlines the process and eligibility requirements for submitting a prevention program for review and consideration to be added to the list of approved evidence-based suicide awareness and prevention, violence prevention and social inclusion programs.
 
Evidence-based is defined by Ohio law as a program or practice that does either of the following:

1. Demonstrates a rationale based on high-quality research findings or positive evaluation that such a program or practice is likely to improve relevant outcomes and includes ongoing efforts to examine the effects of the program or practice; or
2. Has a statistically significant effect on relevant outcomes based on:
   1. Strong evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented experimental study;
   2. Moderate evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented quasi experimental study; or
   3. Promising evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented correlation study with statistical controls for selection bias.

 

Eligibility Requirements

The approved training programs for suicide awareness and prevention and violence prevention must be evidence-based and include the following:

1. How to instruct school personnel to identify the signs and symptoms of depression, suicide and self-harm in students;
2. How to instruct students to identify the signs and symptoms of depression, suicide and self-harm in their peers;
3. How to identify appropriate mental health services within schools and larger communities and when and how to refer youth and their families to those services;
4. How to teach students about mental health and depression, warning signs of suicide and the importance of and processes for seeking help on behalf of self and peers and reporting of these behaviors;
5. How to identify observable warning signs and signals of individuals who may be a threat to themselves or others;
6. The importance of taking threats seriously and seeking help; and
7. How students can report dangerous, violent, threatening, harmful or potentially harmful activity, including the use of the district's chosen anonymous reporting program.

 
The approved training programs for social inclusion must be evidence-based and include the following:

1. What social isolation is and how to identify it in others;
2. What social inclusion is and the importance of establishing connections with peers;
3. When and how to seek help for peers who may be socially isolated; and
4. How to utilize strategies for more social inclusion in classrooms and the school. 

 

Program Submissions

Program reviews are currently on-hold. The Department will share application materials and submission details when available.  

Please contact preventionapproval@education.ohio.gov  with questions.

Approved Programs

To view of list of programs which have been approved to meet the requirements of the SAVE Students Act, visit the Safety and Violence Education Students (SAVE Students) Act webpage.

Last Modified: 2/3/2023 12:31:37 PM

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