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Training School Staff to Prevent Suicide and Promote Mental Health: Outcomes from Virtual PC CARES at School Intervention

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Title: Training School Staff to Prevent Suicide and Promote Mental Health: Outcomes from Virtual PC CARES at School Intervention
Language: English
Authors: Lisa Wexler (ORCID 0000-0002-5471-2666), Lauren White (ORCID 0000-0002-2752-9743), Roberta Moto (ORCID 0000-0002-8307-8473), Tara Schmidt (ORCID 0000-0003-3257-4124), Justin Heinze (ORCID 0000-0002-5205-8795), Elizabeth Evans (ORCID 0000-0002-7155-7637), Angel Zhong (ORCID 0009-0004-2221-6678), Eleni Kapoulea (ORCID 0000-0001-7272-2246), Holly Laws (ORCID 0000-0003-0388-5687)
Source: School Mental Health. 2026 18(2):428-447.
Availability: Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 20
Publication Date: 2026
Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (DHHS/NIH)
Contract Number: R34MH096884
R01MH112458
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Alaska Natives, Suicide, Rural Schools, School Personnel, Training, Prevention, Health Promotion, Mental Health, Well Being, Workshops, Self Efficacy, Program Effectiveness, Cultural Relevance
Geographic Terms: Alaska
DOI: 10.1007/s12310-026-09857-3
ISSN: 1866-2625
1866-2633
Abstract: Suicide is a persistent health inequity for rural Alaska Native (AN) youth. School staff in rural AN communities need training and support to prevent suicide and promote mental wellbeing among AN students. This study presents learning and behavior outcomes from Promoting Community Conversations About Research to End Suicide (PC CARES), done virtually in seven monthly, 2 h sessions with school staff. PC CARES brings people together for a series of interactive workshops to gain skills to prevent suicide across the prevention spectrum. Baseline and 1 month follow-up surveys track adult participants' proximal suicide prevention outcomes of self-efficacy, "community of practice" and behavior outcomes: working together to prevent suicide and promote health; interpersonal support; lethal means reduction and postvention. Mixed effects models tested for pre/post changes for outcomes across participants with complete data (n = 128-140). Moderator analyses tested differential outcomes by number of sessions, cohort, participant role, and school policies. There were 172 PC CARES participants from 21 rural schools and communities in northwestern Alaska in 2020-21 and 2021-22, with average attendance between 4 and 5 sessions. Participants reported significant beneficial changes across all outcomes. Greatest changes occurred for participants with less mental health training (i.e., teachers increased more than school counselors). Greater gains happened in schools where participants reported fewer suicide prevention policies. In rural Alaskan community schools with a high prevalence of suicide, PC CARES At School increased participants' understanding, collaborations, and actions for supporting AN student mental wellbeing and decreasing suicide risk in culturally responsive ways.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1512167
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
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  Data: Training School Staff to Prevent Suicide and Promote Mental Health: Outcomes from Virtual PC CARES at School Intervention
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  Data: English
– Name: Author
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lisa+Wexler%22">Lisa Wexler</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5471-2666">0000-0002-5471-2666</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lauren+White%22">Lauren White</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2752-9743">0000-0002-2752-9743</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Roberta+Moto%22">Roberta Moto</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8307-8473">0000-0002-8307-8473</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tara+Schmidt%22">Tara Schmidt</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3257-4124">0000-0003-3257-4124</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Justin+Heinze%22">Justin Heinze</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5205-8795">0000-0002-5205-8795</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Elizabeth+Evans%22">Elizabeth Evans</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7155-7637">0000-0002-7155-7637</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Angel+Zhong%22">Angel Zhong</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0009-0004-2221-6678">0009-0004-2221-6678</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Eleni+Kapoulea%22">Eleni Kapoulea</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7272-2246">0000-0001-7272-2246</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Holly+Laws%22">Holly Laws</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0388-5687">0000-0003-0388-5687</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22School+Mental+Health%22"><i>School Mental Health</i></searchLink>. 2026 18(2):428-447.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
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  Data: Y
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  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 20
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: SourceSuprt
  Label: Sponsoring Agency
  Group: SrcSuprt
  Data: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (DHHS/NIH)
– Name: NumberContract
  Label: Contract Number
  Group: NumCntrct
  Data: R34MH096884<br />R01MH112458
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Alaska+Natives%22">Alaska Natives</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Suicide%22">Suicide</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Rural+Schools%22">Rural Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Personnel%22">School Personnel</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Training%22">Training</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Prevention%22">Prevention</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Health+Promotion%22">Health Promotion</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+Health%22">Mental Health</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Well+Being%22">Well Being</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Workshops%22">Workshops</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self+Efficacy%22">Self Efficacy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Program+Effectiveness%22">Program Effectiveness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cultural+Relevance%22">Cultural Relevance</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Alaska%22">Alaska</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1007/s12310-026-09857-3
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 1866-2625<br />1866-2633
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Suicide is a persistent health inequity for rural Alaska Native (AN) youth. School staff in rural AN communities need training and support to prevent suicide and promote mental wellbeing among AN students. This study presents learning and behavior outcomes from Promoting Community Conversations About Research to End Suicide (PC CARES), done virtually in seven monthly, 2 h sessions with school staff. PC CARES brings people together for a series of interactive workshops to gain skills to prevent suicide across the prevention spectrum. Baseline and 1 month follow-up surveys track adult participants' proximal suicide prevention outcomes of self-efficacy, "community of practice" and behavior outcomes: working together to prevent suicide and promote health; interpersonal support; lethal means reduction and postvention. Mixed effects models tested for pre/post changes for outcomes across participants with complete data (n = 128-140). Moderator analyses tested differential outcomes by number of sessions, cohort, participant role, and school policies. There were 172 PC CARES participants from 21 rural schools and communities in northwestern Alaska in 2020-21 and 2021-22, with average attendance between 4 and 5 sessions. Participants reported significant beneficial changes across all outcomes. Greatest changes occurred for participants with less mental health training (i.e., teachers increased more than school counselors). Greater gains happened in schools where participants reported fewer suicide prevention policies. In rural Alaskan community schools with a high prevalence of suicide, PC CARES At School increased participants' understanding, collaborations, and actions for supporting AN student mental wellbeing and decreasing suicide risk in culturally responsive ways.
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  Data: As Provided
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: EJ1512167
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1512167
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  BibEntity:
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1007/s12310-026-09857-3
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 20
        StartPage: 428
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Alaska Natives
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Suicide
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Rural Schools
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School Personnel
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Training
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Prevention
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      – SubjectFull: Health Promotion
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      – SubjectFull: Mental Health
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      – SubjectFull: Well Being
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      – SubjectFull: Workshops
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Self Efficacy
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      – SubjectFull: Program Effectiveness
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      – SubjectFull: Cultural Relevance
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Alaska
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: Training School Staff to Prevent Suicide and Promote Mental Health: Outcomes from Virtual PC CARES at School Intervention
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              Y: 2026
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