Jay High School is one of 12 Maine high schools in a statewide effort.

Augusta – Jay High School is one of a dozen Maine high schools to receive funding to continue work on suicide intervention.

The Department of Human Services’ Bureau of Health announced that the state has received nearly $300,000 from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to continue work on the Maine School Community Suicide Prevention Intervention Project.

DHS has identified youth suicide as a public health problem and designed this prevention program to reach students in 12 high schools around the state.

Richard Spencer, previously the special education director at Buckfield High School, is the project coordinator.

Maine is one of four states receiving CDC funding for this type of prevention program. The others are Michigan, Virginia and Washington.

Maine’s Suicide Prevention Intervention Project is designed to help the local school districts prevent youth suicide, intervene during a suicide crisis and manage the school environment in the event of a suicide.

Cheryl DiCara, coordinator of the Maine program, said the grant will help high schools develop better ways to recognize and assist youth who may be suicidal.

The grant will provide one-day training for key persons in the school and community who are responsible for assisting youth who need suicide prevention services. There will also be training of selected individuals so they can conduct suicide prevention awareness sessions for other school staff and community members.

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