Response of Suffolk County > Community Education

“Education is the movement from darkness to light.”

- Adam Bloom, American Educator and writer

With a broad cross section of school based and civic group programs representing demographically varied neighborhoods, RESPONSE educators work to bring a heightened awareness and sensitivity to the problems of adolescent depression and suicide. In 2010, the community educators at Response gave 333 presentations to 11,234 youth and youth involved adults. Through discussions on recognizing warning signs, positive coping skills, and communication skills, our Adolescent Suicide Prevention program promotes social support systems for teens as well as youth involved adults, and encourages help seeking behavior.

According to Charlotte Ross, a pioneer in school-based suicide prevention programs, “Every child is a potential victim and a potential rescuer” (Ross, 1985). With the information Response's community education program provides, people throughout Suffolk County gain the necessary skills as well as the knowledge of available resources to become active partners in addressing our community mental health needs.

School Presentations

To introduce teens and young adults to the hotline and online crisis counseling services, our educators give presentations in the middle schools, high schools, and colleges throughout Suffolk County. By giving a voice - and a face - to the counselors at Response, the educators make our program more approachable. And, upon request, they also teach a variety of topics, such as "Healthy Communication Skills," "How To Help a Friend," "Listening to the Music Behind the Words," and "Suicide Prevention." To schedule a presentation, call (631) 751-7500, or email us at info@responsehotline.org.

Professional Training

The crisis intervention and active listening skills used on the hotline have many applications, including police work, family mediation, peer counseling, parenting, grief counseling, and hospital work. In fact, it is hard to think of a context when these skills are not critically important. That's why Response educators are called upon to give professional trainings to so many agencies and programs, including the Suffolk County Police Academy, Stony Brook University, Suffolk County Community College, Skills Unlimited, Foster Grandparents, Federation of Organizations, Clubhouse of Suffolk, and Victim Information Bureau (VIBS), among many others. To schedule a presentation, call (631) 751-7500, or email us at info@responsehotline.org.