Homewood City Schools

There’s no single cause for suicide. Suicide most often occurs when stressors exceed current coping abilities of someone suffering from a mental health condition. Suicide talk, threats, and warning signs MUST be taken seriously. “I am concerned about you and we need to get you help.” Get help! It is important to remember that raising the topic of suicide does not lead to suicide.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline  – provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. Nacional de Prevencion del Suicidio: (888) 628-9454

Crisis Text Line – Free, 24/7 text line for people in crisis. Confidential. Text HELLO to 741741

Crisis Center Birmingham – The mission of the Crisis Center is to serve the unmet needs of people experiencing personal crisis or mental health issues and respond with services that promote coping, emotional health and well-being. Crisis and Suicide Line (205) 323-7777

The Trevor Project  – Support for LGBTQ youth. (866) 488-7346 or Text START to 678678

Recovery Resource Center
A central point of information concerning substance abuse treatment. The center’s staff and volunteers answer questions, initiate the treatment process, and make referrals as needed.

Electronic Cigarette Use
E-cigarette use poses a significant – and avoidable – health risk to young people in the United States. Besides increasing the possibility of addiction and long-term harm to brain development and respiratory health, e-cigarette use is associated with the use of other tobacco products that can do even more damage to the body. Even breathing e-cigarette aerosol that someone else has exhaled poses potential health risks.

Know the Risks: Visit the surgeon general e-cigarette website 
VIDEO: Parent Program - Tobacco/Vaping in the 21st Century

Medication Abuse
Prescription drug abuse is when someone takes a medication that was prescribed for someone else or takes their own prescription in a way not intended by a doctor or for a different reason - like to get high. This is a particular threat to children because prescription medications are readily available, easy to obtain, and possibly addictive.

Nationally, prescription medications are the most commonly abused drugs among 12-13 year olds.

Prevent Medication Abuse at Home

• Limit access to medications by locking them up and keeping them out of reach
• Keep track of the amount of medications you have
• Know which medications could be abused
• Supervise children taking their medication
• Dispose of unused medications

For more information visit: The Medication Abuse Project 

Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior that involves a real or perceived power imbalance, and the behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time.

Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.

Types of Bullying

• Verbal: Saying or writing mean things.
• Social: Sometimes referred to as relational bullying, involves hurting someone's reputation or  relationships.
• Physical: Hurting a person's body or possessions.
• Cyber: Bullying which takes place over digital devices.

Click here to view HCS’ Anti-Harassment Policy

Click here for Homewood City Schools’ Bullying & Harassment Report Form (submit to an administrator)

• Child Abuse is maltreatment or non-accidental serious harm to a child by any person age fourteen years or older.

  4 Basic Types of Abuse

  • Neglect
  • Physical
  • Mental/Emotional
  • Sexual

  Child neglect is failure by a parent or caregiver to provide basic needs of a child (health, welfare, and safety).

  7 Basic Types of Neglect

  • Abandonment
  • Failure to thrive - poor growth pattern
  • Inadequate clothing/personal hygiene -consistently dirty; severe body odor; insufficient clothing for weather
  • Inadequate food - begs or steals food or money; malnutrition
  • Inadequate shelter - constant fatigue, listlessness, falls asleep
  • Inadequate supervision - left alone, truancy
  • Medical neglect

  To anonymously report suspected child abuse or neglect, please contact the Jefferson County Department of Human Resources (DHR) at (205) 423-4850.

   

In 2016 the Alabama Legislature passed Erin's Law which requires schools to provide an age appropriate curriculum to students on avoiding child sexual abuse. Homewood City Schools has chosen to partner with Children's Hospital to provide this important information to our children.

Debra Schneider is the Director of The Children's Hospital Intervention and Prevention Services Center (CHIPS), Children's of Alabama. The Center provides services to children and families dealing with abuse. They also work with the community to educate adults and children on ways to help prevent abuse.

CHIPS staff will be providing an educational program that teaches children what to do if they find themselves in an uncomfortable situation. The goal of the program is to empower children with the knowledge and a plan of action.

CHIPS staff will use the terminology of PRIVATE PARTS and all lessons are age appropriate. The children are always taught abuse is never their fault.

To learn more about the sexual abuse prevention program provided by CHIPS, view the videos below: 

Click here to learn more about Erin's Law (Information provided by the Alabama State Department of Education)

To learn more about the CHIPS Center, click here. 

• Elementary (K-5) Sexual Abuse Prevention Program Overview: VIDEO
• Elementary Sexual Abuse Prevention Classroom Lesson: VIDEO
• Secondary (6-12) Sexual Abuse Prevention Program Overview: VIDEO