As with any major student issue or concern, it is IMPERATIVE that you communicate with yoru supervisor if you think you have a resident who is considering suicide. Remember, you are not a professional! The following is a guideline, but always remember your job is to REFER!

Many RAs, including myself, have been faced with situations involving residents who have attempted or threatened suicide.  It is a tough issue, and following are some resources to help you help your residents.   I am not an expert, so I will link to information from those who are.  I will give a few tips though:

• Don't try to take care of it by yourself!  Suicide is a serious topic, and if after talking with someone who you think is suicidal, GET HELP!! 
• Be UP FRONT!  You won't regret asking straight-forward questions; you may regret it if you don't.
• Use your resources!!  Use the resources on your campus and in your hall!  You are not the first one to deal with this situation.  Talk to your supervisors, talk to the counseling center.  You should have covered this in your training.
• Respect the privacy of the resident!  !!IMPORTANT!! You need to tell the proper professionals in order to get this person help, but beyond that, don't spread information, names, etc.  Try to quell rumors that you hear circulating on your floor, etc.  This can be very detrimental to the person's recovery.
• Be over-cautious!  If they fit the following 3 criteria, seek professional help immediately!
  • Do they have a plan? If they have planned how they will commit suicide, what steps they will take beforehand and so on, they are
    serious about doing so.
  • Do they have the means? If they have planned it out, could they carry out their plan? Have they the resources required, or means of obtaining them?
  • Are they ready to do it? When do they plan to carry out their plans? The sooner it is, the more important it is to seek professional help.

Resources:

The following links come from suicide @ rochford.org  It's a great website with a lot of great suicide information!

Warning Signs which could indicate a possible suicide

What to do in an emergency situation

Suicide... Read this first!
this page is written especially for those people contemplating suicide.  Read this page!!!