2026 Conference Archive
How are we Assessing and Handling Suicide Assessment and Intervention in Schools?
First Presenter's Highest Degree Earned
PhD
Year First Presenter's Degree Was Awarded
2015
First Presenter's Field of Study
Counselor Education and Supervision
Institution Where First Presenter Received Highest Degree
University of Iowa
First Presenter's Institution
University of Alabama
First Presenter's Brief Bio and Description of Credentials for This Presentation
Meredith Rausch, PhD, NCC is a former Midwesterner who received her undergraduate degree in Public Speaking and master’s degree in Community Counseling, both from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. She then earned a certificate in improvisational comedy from The Second City in Chicago. Meredith has worked extensively with Veterans, performing neuropsychological assessments, writing marriage and career programs for the military, and as an on-call crisis counselor. She obtained her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from The University of Iowa and has published over 30 peer-reviewed articles, 3 books, 8 book chapters, a textbook, spoken professionally across the United States, and is the co-creator of the podcast Hello Again, Friend. Her list of awards includes the NBCC Servant Leadership Award, Golden Pen, Boundless Teaching, Early Tenure and Promotion, Promising Scholar, Emerging Leader, Marquis Who’s Who of 2023, Global Leaders to Watch in 2024, and College of Education Research Awards. Meredith is currently an associate professor at the University of Alabama.
Location
Verelst
Document Type
Individual Presentation
Primary Strand
Mental Health
Relevance to Primary Strand
I have served in the field of clinical mental health counseling for over 20 years. This session involves how to assess for suicidal ideation in K-12 settings, how to assist school counselors, teachers, staff, and administrators in the process of assessing for suicide, and best practices for helping youth who are struggling with mental health issues.
Alignment with School Improvement Plan Topics
School Safety
Brief Program Description
Are you seeing increased suicidal ideation in your schools? After performing years of suicide risk assessments and studying the way school counselors train and respond to suicidal students, we have a strong understanding of what needs we have within the schools when it comes to suicide assessment, the role of the school counselor, and methods for assisting suicidal students in the K-12 setting. Come learn how to utilize best practices and increase your confidence in suicide intervention!
Summary
Are you seeing increased suicidal ideation in your schools? After performing years of suicide risk assessments and studying the way school counselors train and respond to suicidal students, we have a strong understanding of what needs we have within the schools when it comes to suicide assessment, the role of the school counselor, and methods for assisting suicidal students in the K-12 setting. I cover the results of a national needs assessment, a suicide Delphi study, and a study reviewing the use of ASCA's Information Gathering Tool: Suicide Concern. Come learn how to utilize best practices and increase your confidence in suicide intervention!
Learning Objective 1
Participants will learn about the current rate of suicidal ideation in the K-12 setting.
Learning Objective 2
Participants will be able to know how to access suicide resources and assessment tools.
Learning Objective 3
Participants will be able to learn ways to increase safety protocol within their schools.
Start Date
6-2-2026 1:00 PM
End Date
6-2-2026 2:00 PM
Recommended Citation
Rausch, Meredith, "How are we Assessing and Handling Suicide Assessment and Intervention in Schools?" (2026). Southeast Conference on School Climate. 51.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/secsc/2026/2026/51
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
How are we Assessing and Handling Suicide Assessment and Intervention in Schools?
Verelst
Are you seeing increased suicidal ideation in your schools? After performing years of suicide risk assessments and studying the way school counselors train and respond to suicidal students, we have a strong understanding of what needs we have within the schools when it comes to suicide assessment, the role of the school counselor, and methods for assisting suicidal students in the K-12 setting. I cover the results of a national needs assessment, a suicide Delphi study, and a study reviewing the use of ASCA's Information Gathering Tool: Suicide Concern. Come learn how to utilize best practices and increase your confidence in suicide intervention!
