Niagara Falls schools offering mental health first aid

Following the tragic school shooting in Florida, where at least 17 people were gunned down when a 19-year-old opened fire Wednesday, Niagara Falls City Schools are outlining what the district is doing to support families and prevent school violence.

The school district says it recently begun "Mental Health First Aid" to staff. The eight-hour course is offered on Saturdays to help teachers or other members of staff identify signs of a student in crisis and teach them how to respond. 

The district is also developing trauma-informed care focused on Adverse Child Experiences (ACES) and offering this training at all levels.

Suicide prevention is also becoming a focus at prep and high school levels. Niagara Falls High School has a suicide awareness group for students called Sources of Strength.

Every school also has a safe locker or bully-free box. It's where students can anonymously drop a note expressing what they saw, heard, or suspect may trouble them.