Prevention Program Submission

Each school year, districts and schools must provide at least one hour (or one standard class period) of evidence-based instruction in suicide awareness and prevention, violence prevention and social inclusion for students in grades 6 through 12.

As required by Ohio law, the Department of Education and Workforce, in consultation with the Departments of Public Safety and Mental Health and Addiction Services, maintain a list of approved, evidence-based programs on suicide awareness and prevention, violence prevention and social inclusion.

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.

Approved Programs

To view of list of programs which have been approved to meet legislative requirements , visit the Suicide Prevention, Violence Prevention, Social Inclusion and School Safety Requirements webpage.

Program Requirements

Suicide Awareness and Prevention and Violence Prevention

Approved programs for suicide awareness and prevention and violence prevention must be evidence-based and include all of the following:
  • How to instruct school personnel to identify the signs and symptoms of depression, suicide and self-harm in students;
  • How to instruct students to identify the signs and symptoms of depression, suicide and self-harm in their peers;
  • 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;
  • 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;
  • How to identify observable warning signs and signals of individuals who may be a threat to themselves or others;
  • The importance of taking threats seriously and seeking help; and
  • How students can report dangerous, violent, threatening, harmful or potentially harmful activity.

 Social Inclusion

The approved training programs for social inclusion must be evidence-based and include the following:
  • What social isolation is and how to identify it in others;
  • What social inclusion is and the importance of establishing connections with peers;
  • When and how to seek help for peers who may be socially isolated; and
  • How to utilize strategies for more social inclusion in classrooms and the school. 

Evidence-Based

 Ohio law defines an evidence-based program or practice as doing either of the following:
  • 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
  • Has a statistically significant effect on relevant outcomes based on:
    • Strong evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented experimental study;
    • Moderate evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented quasi experimental study; or
    • Promising evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented correlation study with statistical controls for selection bias.

Program Submission Process

​Suicide awareness and prevention, violence prevention and social inclusion programs are reviewed by the Ohio Departments of Education and Workforce, Mental Health and Addiction Services, and Public Safety to determine if the program meets all legislative requirements.

Programs must be evidence-based and include instruction in all areas outlined in legislation. To submit a program for review, complete the Suicide Awareness and Prevention, Violence Prevention and Social Inclusion Submission Form. 
 
  • Once a program has been submitted, the Department will conduct a technical review. 
  • The Department will notify the applicant when the technical review has been completed and that the review process is beginning. 
    • If additional materials are needed for the review to begin, the Department will contact the applicant. The applicant will have the opportunity to provide additional materials. Once the applicant provides all the necessary information, the Departments will begin reviewing the materials. 
    • Submit any supplemental materials to prevention@education.ohio.gov.
  • The Departments typically complete program reviews within 2 weeks.
  • The Department will notify the applicant as to whether the program has been approved.

Direct any questions to prevention@education.ohio.gov.

Last Modified: 12/27/2023 12:05:46 PM