Promote responsible reporting and accurate portrayals of suicidal behavior, mental health conditions and substance abuse in the media.
Objective: Reduce suicide contagion through communications media by providing editors with guidelines for reporting suicide and suicide prevention resource information.
WHAT VERMONT CAN DO
Individuals & Families:
- Teach youth to use social media and emerging technology to build positive social and
interpersonal relationships. - Talk to children and youth about social media – discuss the effects of cyber-bullying and other aspects of social media such as public gossiping that may exacerbate a pre-existing mental health condition.
- Write letters to media outlets when you see inaccurate, misleading or insensitive portrayals of suicide.
Organizations:
Non-profit, Community-Based, Faith-Based, and Businesses
- Publish articles on suicide prevention
measures, how to get help, and how to
support someone who is at risk. - Train journalists about guidelines for safe reporting and the long-term, unintended consequences of reporting about suicide.
- Encourage and recognize news organizations that develop and implement policies and practices addressing the safe and responsible reporting of suicide and other related behaviors.
Schools, Colleges, and Universities:
- Encourage journalism programs to include the recommended guidelines in their curricula guidance on the portrayal and reporting of mental health, suicide, and suicidal behaviors.
Healthcare:
- Inquire of young patients about their relationship with social media and if it affects their mood and health, encouraging them to talk to their parents.
Policy and Systems:
- Encourage news reports on suicide to observe recommended guidelines in the depiction of suicide and mental health conditions.
- Review media recommendations regularly to incorporate the most up-to-date information.
