The Crisis Moment

Abstract

The following paper describes the implementation of a school postvention suicide policy after the self-inflicted deaths of four adolescents in less than two months. The authors discuss the realities of implementing a crisis response program, including verification of death, mobilization of a crises team, notification of staff and students and identification of those highly at risk. Emphasis is then placed upon the formation and maintenance of natural groups to facilitate student involvement during the crisis. The authors view this intervention process by interfacing a model of the group life cycle with a description of the grief process.