Stephanie Downey,
MDH suicide prevention coordinator

Schools and districts across Minnesota have access to a suite of online mental health trainings for staff and students called Kognito (Kognito Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Trainings for Schools - MN Dept. of Health).

The Kognito Friend2Friend student training suite provides game-based simulations that improve school climate by helping middle and high school students learn to have conversations and build skills to navigate difficult real-life situations. This leads to positive outcomes both in and out of the classroom.

The initiative began in May of 2020 and provides free, unlimited access including implementation tools, discussion guides, and technical support to roll out within a school or district. The Kognito trainings were created in collaboration with school and mental health experts and educators. They are research-proven online simulations providing hands-on, interactive, and personalized practice-based learning through use of role-play conversations with virtual students and virtual parents/guardians. Participants learn to recognize signs of psychological distress and connect students to support services. The staff trainings meet educator suicide prevention training requirements in Minnesota statute.