A Trauma- and Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI)-Informed Approach to Suicide Prevention in School: Black Boys’ Lives Matter

AbstractBlack boys have been dying by suicide at an increasing rate. Although the reasons for this increase are unknown, suicide in Black boys is likely influenced by multiple, intersecting risk factors, including historical and ongoing trauma. Schools can serve as an important mechanism of support for Black boys; however, without intentional antiracist frameworks that acknowledge how intersecting identities can exacerbate risk for suicide, schools can overlook opportunities for care and perpetuate a cycle of racism that compromises the mental health of Black youth. By recognizing their own implicit biases, modeling antiracist practices, listening to and recognizing the strengths and diversity of Black youth, and fostering school-family-community partnerships, school psychologists can help transform the school environment to be a safe and culturally affirming place for Black youth. This paper outlines how school psychologists can apply a trauma- and Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI)-informed approach to suicide prevention in order to more holistically support Black boys, disrupt patterns of aggressive disciplinary procedures, and improve school-based suicide prevention programs. By applying this lens across a multitiered systems of support (MTSS) framework, school psychologists can help to prevent the deaths of Black boys and begin to prioritize the lives of Black boys.Impact StatementThis article calls on school psychologists to take a trauma- and Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI)-informed approach for school-based suicide prevention and interventions. The sociopolitical context of suicide risk and protective factors in Black boys, as well as the influence of intersecting identities on these factors, underscores the importance of antiracist approaches towards building school-community-family partnerships. A trauma and JEDI-informed approach to suicide prevention necessitates a culturally responsive collective impact team and culturally grounded approaches to prevention and intervention across a multitiered systems of support for prioritizing Black boys’ lives.