Every middle and high school student in Palo Alto Unified will receive hands-on suicide prevention and mental health training this school year, Superintendent Jason Glass announced Friday, Aug. 14.
The expansion comes in a community where 11 young people have died by suicide since 2018, according to Palo Alto Online reporting.
The district is deploying two evidence-based programs: Teen Mental Health First Aid, a six-session curriculum that teaches high schoolers to recognize warning signs in peers and connect them to a trusted adult, and Be Sensitive, Be Brave, a culturally responsive framework covering staff and students in grades 6 through 12. Elementary staff will receive separate training in trauma-informed practice.
"Our community's history and shared commitment to our students necessitate a proactive, highly skilled approach to prevention," Glass wrote in his weekly update.
Sessions will be led by PAUSD mental health staff and wellness leaders with support from Momentum for Health, a Santa Clara County nonprofit that already operates the TRUST mobile crisis team in the area. School counselors will be on campus during sessions to provide immediate support.
The district emphasized that students will not be asked to diagnose peers or act as therapists. The goal is a shared vocabulary: spot the signs, listen without judgment, loop in an adult.
Board approved contracts in June
The PAUSD Board of Education voted 4-1 on June 16 to approve a consent calendar that included three contracts underpinning the rollout: one with the National Council for Mental Wellbeing for instructor certification, one with Momentum for Health for staff and student training, and one with Community Connections Psychological Associates for Be Sensitive, Be Brave instructor training. Board member Rowena Chiu cast the lone dissenting vote on the full consent calendar, which also included salary and labor items. Dollar amounts for the three mental health agreements have not been disclosed.
The expansion comes as Santa Clara County scaled back its own suicide prevention staffing. The county proposed eliminating four of five full-time positions dedicated to suicide prevention in its 2026-27 budget; after community pushback, two positions were retained.
What parents need to know
Families will receive opt-out information from their school site, including instructional schedules and details on informational sessions open to parents and guardians. The district has not yet published a timeline for when training begins at each campus.
Next up: budget and org chart
The Board meets Tuesday, Aug. 18. Glass flagged two agenda items: the 2025-26 unaudited budget actuals, which close the books on last fiscal year, and a district organization chart showing who is responsible for what under his new administration. Glass started July 1 after a national search.
PAUSD's existing mental health infrastructure includes wellness centers at every secondary campus, licensed coordinators and psychologists at both comprehensive high schools, and free 24/7 virtual therapy through Uwill for all K-12 students.
If you are having suicidal thoughts, call or text 988 to reach the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
