SELF-HARM

Self-harm threats and attempts to harm others are to be taken seriously by all staff members. For these reasons, administrators are asked to implement the attached guidelines set forth by the district. Monitoring of self-harm or threats to harm others is necessary in all cases. Therefore an Action Plan Form must be completed for all instances in which a student has expressed self harm or threats to harm others. When necessary, the Principal or his/her designee shall remove a student from classes or from school premises for health, safety or welfare reasons whenever the principal or designee determines that it is necessary to do so. This would include students suffering from any condition that threatens his/her welfare or the safety of others. Any student who is so removed is to be released only to the student’s parent a representative of the parent or other proper authority, including, but not limited to, law enforcement officers and medical personnel. When a student is removed from the school for self harm or threats to harm others, the Parent Statement of Understanding will be used in an effort to require the caretakers to seek professional mental health care for a student outside of the school. In these cases, failure to seek outside mental health consultation may constitute neglect and the school is legally obligated to report the situation to the Children Youth and Families Department. The State of New Mexico defines “neglect of a child as one who is without proper parental care and control of subsistence, education, mental or other care or control necessary for the child’s wellbeing.”