Death Education and Grief/Suicide Intervention in the Public Schools

Of 423 public schools surveyed, 11% offered death education, 17% offered a grief education/support program & 25% had suicide prevention/intervention programs. Midwest senior high schools had highest proportions of death-related programs. Of the few programs offered, most were taught as part of a health education course & were 2 wks or less in duration. Most of the grief & suicide programs were crisis-oriented, involved counselors or a team of school staff & offered limited in-service education.