Examining support for school-based suicide prevention across the political spectrum: Findings from two surveys

School-based suicide prevention and mental health programs are critically important, yet recent news stories have highlighted a politicized backlash against these programs. Little empirical research has investigated the role that parents and community members want schools to play in student mental health, making it difficult for school staff to address potential concerns while ensuring student well-being. Using data from two complementary sources - the Person-to-Person Health Interview Survey and the Western Slope Family Survey - we examine support for schools' promotion of youth mental health by political ideology. We find substantial support for school-based suicide prevention and mental health programs across the political spectrum. While more conservatives than liberals prefer mental health issues be left to parents, a sizeable majority across the political spectrum favors schools' active participation in supporting student mental health. In particular, parents from across the political spectrum prefer that schools collaborate with them to support their children, and they strongly agree that school staff should be trained to recognize students at risk of suicide. These results have implications for school policy and youth suicide prevention efforts.