Mérida, Yucatán — The Yucatecan Suicidology Association (Ayus) will release a new protocol this month to help schools respond when a student, teacher, or other staff member dies by suicide.
Developed with students from the University of the Valley of Mexico (UVM), the protocol is scheduled to be presented at 4 p.m. on Sept. 11 in the main auditorium of UVM’s Mérida campus. The presentation anchors a series of events the group has planned for September around World Suicide Prevention Day, which falls on Sept. 10.
Working under the slogan “Creating hope through action,” Ayus will hold academic workshops, community forums, talks, and walks focused on mental health and suicide prevention.
Known as a postvention protocol, the guide is designed to give teachers and administrators practical steps for supporting students and school staff after a suicide loss, with a focus on emotional support and preventing further tragedies among children and young people.
Events continue on Sept. 12 at 4 p.m. with “Voices That Heal,” a conversation at the Lorca Cultural Center for people who have lost a loved one to suicide. Organizers said the session will provide a space for listening, validation, and support and will have limited capacity.
On Sept. 13, Ayus will hold its third annual Suicide Prevention Walk starting at 7:30 a.m. from Calle 45 between 56 and 56-A on Paseo de Montejo. The route is open to the public and will follow the Bici-Ruta to the Monumento a la Patria, where participants will pose for a group photo. Organizers encouraged attendees to wear yellow clothing, carry signs with encouraging messages, and bring pets.
The month’s closing event will be the Second Suicide Prevention Meeting on Sept. 27 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Manuel Cepeda Peraza Auditorium inside the University Cultural Center of the Autonomous University of Yucatán (UADY). The program will include keynote lectures, workshops, and roundtable discussions covering current approaches to prevention, intervention, and postvention.
Ayus said it has formed its 2026 Volunteer Program, with 45 facilitators and community volunteers selected from more than 100 applicants and trained to support the events. The association also announced a digital campaign set to launch in the coming days to spread evidence-based information, correct misconceptions about suicide, and publicize crisis hotlines and support resources.
