WaPo: Suicidal students are pressured to withdraw from Yale

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yale seems insensitive. However, they have a huge liability if the student stays. What if they have a complete breakdown and shoot up a classroom? Then you would all blame Yale.

If only there were options between expulsion and doing nothing.

They should call it a medical leave, should behave humanely, should have excellent care on campus and provide support for return if it’s possible but the fact is kids who have attempted suicide absolutely need a leave. I said this earlier but imagine if an employer had an employee attempt suicide in the workplace and the person came back after the weekend with no break and no further evaluation for ability to safely return-it would not be safe or appropriate for the employee and it would not be safe and fair to coworkers.

There’s no way an employer would prevent an employee from returning. That’s a lawsuit waiting to happen. The Yale situation was like firing an employee for a suicide attempt, which would be an unwinnable lawsuit for the employer.

Yale actually handled it well by hospitalizing her and recognizing the problem. The parents didn't. This is not an employer situation and two very different issues.

Yale didn’t hospitalize her. They were informed after the attempt, and then all they did was pressure her to leave voluntarily so that they didn’t need to refund her tuition over an involuntary (and probably illegal) expulsion.

That's probably not why they wanted her to withdraw. Come on. Why jump to that conclusion?

Clearly yale’s behavior leaves a lot (!) to be desired but do you genuinely think kids who attempt suicide are less likely to attempt an again (and possibly succeed) if they go straight from their 48 hrs admission straight back to the same setting with no certainty if follow up or anyone even knowing? Part of being discharged from the hospital after a suicide attempt is the medical staff feeling confident there is appropriate safe follow up such that they are less likely to simply re-attempt. That *never* involves-“don’t tell anyone including the people I live with and simply return to my routine on Sunday after an earnest attempt to kill myself friday!”

If would he better for them to stay in an environment with friends, reduce their classes to 2 or even 1, join a support group and do weekly therapy.

That way they stay involved in moving forward in a positive way, but learn to slowly manage mental health, engaging with community, etc.

It’s actually explained in the link yo how BU handles it or the guide to returning to school after taking a break.

But that's not what Yale is about. Yale is about being one of the most difficult and rigorous academic environments that there is. It's not meant for people who can only handle 1 class at a time. That's just not the point of being at Yale, for that student or for their cohort. That's like saying someone had a breakdown during boot camp but they still think they should be a Navy Seal. Just under a less rigorous course of training. That's not how it works.

Which is why people who went to Yale insist on telling you that fact as soon as you meet them. They have collective trauma from the experience.

Maybe Yale should consider not being so toxic?

I doubt it's toxic for most students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yale seems insensitive. However, they have a huge liability if the student stays. What if they have a complete breakdown and shoot up a classroom? Then you would all blame Yale.

If only there were options between expulsion and doing nothing.

They should call it a medical leave, should behave humanely, should have excellent care on campus and provide support for return if it’s possible but the fact is kids who have attempted suicide absolutely need a leave. I said this earlier but imagine if an employer had an employee attempt suicide in the workplace and the person came back after the weekend with no break and no further evaluation for ability to safely return-it would not be safe or appropriate for the employee and it would not be safe and fair to coworkers.

There’s no way an employer would prevent an employee from returning. That’s a lawsuit waiting to happen. The Yale situation was like firing an employee for a suicide attempt, which would be an unwinnable lawsuit for the employer.

Yale actually handled it well by hospitalizing her and recognizing the problem. The parents didn't. This is not an employer situation and two very different issues.

Yale didn’t hospitalize her. They were informed after the attempt, and then all they did was pressure her to leave voluntarily so that they didn’t need to refund her tuition over an involuntary (and probably illegal) expulsion.

That's probably not why they wanted her to withdraw. Come on. Why jump to that conclusion?

Clearly yale’s behavior leaves a lot (!) to be desired but do you genuinely think kids who attempt suicide are less likely to attempt an again (and possibly succeed) if they go straight from their 48 hrs admission straight back to the same setting with no certainty if follow up or anyone even knowing? Part of being discharged from the hospital after a suicide attempt is the medical staff feeling confident there is appropriate safe follow up such that they are less likely to simply re-attempt. That *never* involves-“don’t tell anyone including the people I live with and simply return to my routine on Sunday after an earnest attempt to kill myself friday!”

If would he better for them to stay in an environment with friends, reduce their classes to 2 or even 1, join a support group and do weekly therapy.

That way they stay involved in moving forward in a positive way, but learn to slowly manage mental health, engaging with community, etc.

It’s actually explained in the link yo how BU handles it or the guide to returning to school after taking a break.

But that's not what Yale is about. Yale is about being one of the most difficult and rigorous academic environments that there is. It's not meant for people who can only handle 1 class at a time. That's just not the point of being at Yale, for that student or for their cohort. That's like saying someone had a breakdown during boot camp but they still think they should be a Navy Seal. Just under a less rigorous course of training. That's not how it works.

Which is why people who went to Yale insist on telling you that fact as soon as you meet them. They have collective trauma from the experience.

Maybe Yale should consider not being so toxic?

I doubt it's toxic for most students.

These mental health issues had nothing to do with Yale per the article.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yale seems insensitive. However, they have a huge liability if the student stays. What if they have a complete breakdown and shoot up a classroom? Then you would all blame Yale.

If only there were options between expulsion and doing nothing.

They should call it a medical leave, should behave humanely, should have excellent care on campus and provide support for return if it’s possible but the fact is kids who have attempted suicide absolutely need a leave. I said this earlier but imagine if an employer had an employee attempt suicide in the workplace and the person came back after the weekend with no break and no further evaluation for ability to safely return-it would not be safe or appropriate for the employee and it would not be safe and fair to coworkers.

There’s no way an employer would prevent an employee from returning. That’s a lawsuit waiting to happen. The Yale situation was like firing an employee for a suicide attempt, which would be an unwinnable lawsuit for the employer.

Yale actually handled it well by hospitalizing her and recognizing the problem. The parents didn't. This is not an employer situation and two very different issues.

Yale didn’t hospitalize her. They were informed after the attempt, and then all they did was pressure her to leave voluntarily so that they didn’t need to refund her tuition over an involuntary (and probably illegal) expulsion.

That's probably not why they wanted her to withdraw. Come on. Why jump to that conclusion?

Clearly yale’s behavior leaves a lot (!) to be desired but do you genuinely think kids who attempt suicide are less likely to attempt an again (and possibly succeed) if they go straight from their 48 hrs admission straight back to the same setting with no certainty if follow up or anyone even knowing? Part of being discharged from the hospital after a suicide attempt is the medical staff feeling confident there is appropriate safe follow up such that they are less likely to simply re-attempt. That *never* involves-“don’t tell anyone including the people I live with and simply return to my routine on Sunday after an earnest attempt to kill myself friday!”

If would he better for them to stay in an environment with friends, reduce their classes to 2 or even 1, join a support group and do weekly therapy.

That way they stay involved in moving forward in a positive way, but learn to slowly manage mental health, engaging with community, etc.

It’s actually explained in the link yo how BU handles it or the guide to returning to school after taking a break.

But that's not what Yale is about. Yale is about being one of the most difficult and rigorous academic environments that there is. It's not meant for people who can only handle 1 class at a time. That's just not the point of being at Yale, for that student or for their cohort. That's like saying someone had a breakdown during boot camp but they still think they should be a Navy Seal. Just under a less rigorous course of training. That's not how it works.

It does work that way if you are in a car accident and can’t attend clas. You get an I and can do independent study to finish your a few classes and/or medical withdrawal for others. You also are not unenrolled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yale seems insensitive. However, they have a huge liability if the student stays. What if they have a complete breakdown and shoot up a classroom? Then you would all blame Yale.

If only there were options between expulsion and doing nothing.

They should call it a medical leave, should behave humanely, should have excellent care on campus and provide support for return if it’s possible but the fact is kids who have attempted suicide absolutely need a leave. I said this earlier but imagine if an employer had an employee attempt suicide in the workplace and the person came back after the weekend with no break and no further evaluation for ability to safely return-it would not be safe or appropriate for the employee and it would not be safe and fair to coworkers.

There’s no way an employer would prevent an employee from returning. That’s a lawsuit waiting to happen. The Yale situation was like firing an employee for a suicide attempt, which would be an unwinnable lawsuit for the employer.

Yale actually handled it well by hospitalizing her and recognizing the problem. The parents didn't. This is not an employer situation and two very different issues.

Yale didn’t hospitalize her. They were informed after the attempt, and then all they did was pressure her to leave voluntarily so that they didn’t need to refund her tuition over an involuntary (and probably illegal) expulsion.

That's probably not why they wanted her to withdraw. Come on. Why jump to that conclusion?

Clearly yale’s behavior leaves a lot (!) to be desired but do you genuinely think kids who attempt suicide are less likely to attempt an again (and possibly succeed) if they go straight from their 48 hrs admission straight back to the same setting with no certainty if follow up or anyone even knowing? Part of being discharged from the hospital after a suicide attempt is the medical staff feeling confident there is appropriate safe follow up such that they are less likely to simply re-attempt. That *never* involves-“don’t tell anyone including the people I live with and simply return to my routine on Sunday after an earnest attempt to kill myself friday!”

If would he better for them to stay in an environment with friends, reduce their classes to 2 or even 1, join a support group and do weekly therapy.

That way they stay involved in moving forward in a positive way, but learn to slowly manage mental health, engaging with community, etc.

It’s actually explained in the link yo how BU handles it or the guide to returning to school after taking a break.

You don’t seem to understand the severity of being suicidal. Weekly therapy is not enough. They need much more.

Yes, actually I do. You can be hospitalized as little as 72 hours before you are discharged and sent on your way to get therapy out of a hospital setting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yale seems insensitive. However, they have a huge liability if the student stays. What if they have a complete breakdown and shoot up a classroom? Then you would all blame Yale.

If only there were options between expulsion and doing nothing.

They should call it a medical leave, should behave humanely, should have excellent care on campus and provide support for return if it’s possible but the fact is kids who have attempted suicide absolutely need a leave. I said this earlier but imagine if an employer had an employee attempt suicide in the workplace and the person came back after the weekend with no break and no further evaluation for ability to safely return-it would not be safe or appropriate for the employee and it would not be safe and fair to coworkers.

There’s no way an employer would prevent an employee from returning. That’s a lawsuit waiting to happen. The Yale situation was like firing an employee for a suicide attempt, which would be an unwinnable lawsuit for the employer.

Yale actually handled it well by hospitalizing her and recognizing the problem. The parents didn't. This is not an employer situation and two very different issues.

Yale didn’t hospitalize her. They were informed after the attempt, and then all they did was pressure her to leave voluntarily so that they didn’t need to refund her tuition over an involuntary (and probably illegal) expulsion.

That's probably not why they wanted her to withdraw. Come on. Why jump to that conclusion?

Clearly yale’s behavior leaves a lot (!) to be desired but do you genuinely think kids who attempt suicide are less likely to attempt an again (and possibly succeed) if they go straight from their 48 hrs admission straight back to the same setting with no certainty if follow up or anyone even knowing? Part of being discharged from the hospital after a suicide attempt is the medical staff feeling confident there is appropriate safe follow up such that they are less likely to simply re-attempt. That *never* involves-“don’t tell anyone including the people I live with and simply return to my routine on Sunday after an earnest attempt to kill myself friday!”

If would he better for them to stay in an environment with friends, reduce their classes to 2 or even 1, join a support group and do weekly therapy.

That way they stay involved in moving forward in a positive way, but learn to slowly manage mental health, engaging with community, etc.

It’s actually explained in the link yo how BU handles it or the guide to returning to school after taking a break.

You don’t seem to understand the severity of being suicidal. Weekly therapy is not enough. They need much more.

Yes, actually I do. You can be hospitalized as little as 72 hours before you are discharged and sent on your way to get therapy out of a hospital setting.

This is not making the point you think it is!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yale seems insensitive. However, they have a huge liability if the student stays. What if they have a complete breakdown and shoot up a classroom? Then you would all blame Yale.

If only there were options between expulsion and doing nothing.

They should call it a medical leave, should behave humanely, should have excellent care on campus and provide support for return if it’s possible but the fact is kids who have attempted suicide absolutely need a leave. I said this earlier but imagine if an employer had an employee attempt suicide in the workplace and the person came back after the weekend with no break and no further evaluation for ability to safely return-it would not be safe or appropriate for the employee and it would not be safe and fair to coworkers.

There’s no way an employer would prevent an employee from returning. That’s a lawsuit waiting to happen. The Yale situation was like firing an employee for a suicide attempt, which would be an unwinnable lawsuit for the employer.

Yale actually handled it well by hospitalizing her and recognizing the problem. The parents didn't. This is not an employer situation and two very different issues.

Yale didn’t hospitalize her. They were informed after the attempt, and then all they did was pressure her to leave voluntarily so that they didn’t need to refund her tuition over an involuntary (and probably illegal) expulsion.

That's probably not why they wanted her to withdraw. Come on. Why jump to that conclusion?

Give me a break. If they actually cared about what was best for the student they wouldn't be in such a hurry to force her into a decison while she's alone in the hospital. This is clearly intended to be coercive. Maybe it isn't motivated by tuition refunds, but it is certainly intended to force the student out before gets there to help her that understands her rights.

[Anonymous]

this article should serve as a wake up call to parents whose kids are in HS. Dont pressure them. Let them live and things will work out the way they were meant to be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:this article should serve as a wake up call to parents whose kids are in HS. Dont pressure them. Let them live and things will work out the way they were meant to be.

It’s not about not pressuring your kid. It’s about monitoring it, getting them help and supporting them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yale seems insensitive. However, they have a huge liability if the student stays. What if they have a complete breakdown and shoot up a classroom? Then you would all blame Yale.

If only there were options between expulsion and doing nothing.

They should call it a medical leave, should behave humanely, should have excellent care on campus and provide support for return if it’s possible but the fact is kids who have attempted suicide absolutely need a leave. I said this earlier but imagine if an employer had an employee attempt suicide in the workplace and the person came back after the weekend with no break and no further evaluation for ability to safely return-it would not be safe or appropriate for the employee and it would not be safe and fair to coworkers.

There’s no way an employer would prevent an employee from returning. That’s a lawsuit waiting to happen. The Yale situation was like firing an employee for a suicide attempt, which would be an unwinnable lawsuit for the employer.

Yale actually handled it well by hospitalizing her and recognizing the problem. The parents didn't. This is not an employer situation and two very different issues.

Yale didn’t hospitalize her. They were informed after the attempt, and then all they did was pressure her to leave voluntarily so that they didn’t need to refund her tuition over an involuntary (and probably illegal) expulsion.

That's probably not why they wanted her to withdraw. Come on. Why jump to that conclusion?

Clearly yale’s behavior leaves a lot (!) to be desired but do you genuinely think kids who attempt suicide are less likely to attempt an again (and possibly succeed) if they go straight from their 48 hrs admission straight back to the same setting with no certainty if follow up or anyone even knowing? Part of being discharged from the hospital after a suicide attempt is the medical staff feeling confident there is appropriate safe follow up such that they are less likely to simply re-attempt. That *never* involves-“don’t tell anyone including the people I live with and simply return to my routine on Sunday after an earnest attempt to kill myself friday!”

If would he better for them to stay in an environment with friends, reduce their classes to 2 or even 1, join a support group and do weekly therapy.

That way they stay involved in moving forward in a positive way, but learn to slowly manage mental health, engaging with community, etc.

It’s actually explained in the link yo how BU handles it or the guide to returning to school after taking a break.

You don’t seem to understand the severity of being suicidal. Weekly therapy is not enough. They need much more.

Yes, actually I do. You can be hospitalized as little as 72 hours before you are discharged and sent on your way to get therapy out of a hospital setting.

This is not making the point you think it is!

This is exactly the concern.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid at Yale (2nd year) and this has been a huge topic of discussion and advocacy in the last few years, especially since the heartbreaking student suicide in 2021. Their policies around this are unacceptable, and I’m glad this article was published in the WaPo as I think and hope it will increase pressure on the university to change. I didn’t go there, but my dd’s experience so far actually been that in so many other regards the campus environment is actually very supportive, both in the supports set up within the residential college system, access to professors, collaborative environment among students etc. I would say without hesitation that this environment is way more supportive and less toxic than my own university experience.
There’s a lot of Yale hate in this post, I’m not sure why. The kids I’ve met there are interesting, motivated, often a bit quirky, lots of passion etc. And generally they are really really happy with their experience there. But everyone who is paying attention agrees that the changes in the last few years did not go far enough in supporting students in crisis.
How universities handle the dramatic increase in the need for mental health services is a tricky topic. I don’t fault universities for buckling under the dramatic increase in demand for services, and we are seeing that play out in non-university settings as well. Therapists waitlists are long. I also don’t expect a university to “care about” my kid, that’s not what institutions do, that’s what people do. But neither to I expect institutional policies to exacerbate crisis, and clearly the remnants of Yale’s reinstatement policies in place there do that. I presume this to be strictly a liability thing, but as other universities have changed their policies on this one, Yale can clearly do the same.

Thanks for posting this. Yale is my DD's #! choice and I am seriously considering encouraging her not to apply. It's a reach for her (as it is for most) but this article made me afraid of the possibility she'd be admitted. She has had mild mental health issues and ADHD. She does really well academically and with ECs but she gets anxious and I don't want her in a pressure cooker environment, especially one that she'll get kicked out of if things deteriorate.

Yale is not the place for her if this is what you are looking for.

I don't understand it when parents don't "want their babies in a pressure cooker." Life is a pressure cooker -- college is a great time to prepare.

That’s not been my experience. But I didn’t go to Yale. That’s why I’m not sure I want my kid going there.

[Anonymous]

I’m a Yale grad of more than 20 years ago and absolutely cannot believe that this backwards awful policy and culture is still in place today. This is exactly how stuff went down in the 90s minus FaceTime and stuff. I remember both freshman counselors (like RAs), residential college deans, and peers urging classmates who were desperately struggling with their mental health to NOT leave school no matter how acute their situation because they would probably not be readmitted. It was a well-known fact and absolutely deterred desperate people from getting the help they needed.

I had an acquaintance who went to the ER and was admitted and inpatient at Yale New Haven and on suicide watch. We visited him. He did his coursework from a literal padded room and went right back to his dorm room days later because it was that or have to unenroll during senior year. He would do his coursework and then lay in bed for 20 hours. His parents’ and the deans’ workaround to having him lose his chance to graduate was to have his friends and acquaintances sit with him 24 hours/day on a rotating schedule. I haven’t thought about it in years and it was insane that we all went along with it. Who puts 20 year olds on a suicide watch in a dorm and thinks that’s a solution?!

Every school has problems with high achievers, competition, and pressure. But Yale is distinctly messed up in how it manages it. The issue is and always has been the school’s completely ancient, backwards way of distinguishing mental health leave from medical leave and the shame it attaches to the former.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a Yale grad of more than 20 years ago and absolutely cannot believe that this backwards awful policy and culture is still in place today. This is exactly how stuff went down in the 90s minus FaceTime and stuff. I remember both freshman counselors (like RAs), residential college deans, and peers urging classmates who were desperately struggling with their mental health to NOT leave school no matter how acute their situation because they would probably not be readmitted. It was a well-known fact and absolutely deterred desperate people from getting the help they needed.

I had an acquaintance who went to the ER and was admitted and inpatient at Yale New Haven and on suicide watch. We visited him. He did his coursework from a literal padded room and went right back to his dorm room days later because it was that or have to unenroll during senior year. He would do his coursework and then lay in bed for 20 hours. His parents’ and the deans’ workaround to having him lose his chance to graduate was to have his friends and acquaintances sit with him 24 hours/day on a rotating schedule. I haven’t thought about it in years and it was insane that we all went along with it. Who puts 20 year olds on a suicide watch in a dorm and thinks that’s a solution?!

Every school has problems with high achievers, competition, and pressure. But Yale is distinctly messed up in how it manages it. The issue is and always has been the school’s completely ancient, backwards way of distinguishing mental health leave from medical leave and the shame it attaches to the former.

That is absolutely horrifying.

[Anonymous]

You don’t seem to understand the severity of being suicidal. Weekly therapy is not enough. They need much more.

Weekly therapy is exactly how my suicidality was treated (and went into remission). Of course, I delayed getting help until after college and grad school for fear of being treated how these Yale students were.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid at Yale (2nd year) and this has been a huge topic of discussion and advocacy in the last few years, especially since the heartbreaking student suicide in 2021. Their policies around this are unacceptable, and I’m glad this article was published in the WaPo as I think and hope it will increase pressure on the university to change. I didn’t go there, but my dd’s experience so far actually been that in so many other regards the campus environment is actually very supportive, both in the supports set up within the residential college system, access to professors, collaborative environment among students etc. I would say without hesitation that this environment is way more supportive and less toxic than my own university experience.
There’s a lot of Yale hate in this post, I’m not sure why. The kids I’ve met there are interesting, motivated, often a bit quirky, lots of passion etc. And generally they are really really happy with their experience there. But everyone who is paying attention agrees that the changes in the last few years did not go far enough in supporting students in crisis.
How universities handle the dramatic increase in the need for mental health services is a tricky topic. I don’t fault universities for buckling under the dramatic increase in demand for services, and we are seeing that play out in non-university settings as well. Therapists waitlists are long. I also don’t expect a university to “care about” my kid, that’s not what institutions do, that’s what people do. But neither to I expect institutional policies to exacerbate crisis, and clearly the remnants of Yale’s reinstatement policies in place there do that. I presume this to be strictly a liability thing, but as other universities have changed their policies on this one, Yale can clearly do the same.

Thanks for posting this. Yale is my DD's #! choice and I am seriously considering encouraging her not to apply. It's a reach for her (as it is for most) but this article made me afraid of the possibility she'd be admitted. She has had mild mental health issues and ADHD. She does really well academically and with ECs but she gets anxious and I don't want her in a pressure cooker environment, especially one that she'll get kicked out of if things deteriorate.

Yale is not the place for her if this is what you are looking for.

Or any other large school. You want a really small liberal arts school like Colgate or Middlebury or Pomona. Students at large schools are a number. At small schools they might not be. (Emphasis on might.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yale seems insensitive. However, they have a huge liability if the student stays. What if they have a complete breakdown and shoot up a classroom? Then you would all blame Yale.

If only there were options between expulsion and doing nothing.

They should call it a medical leave, should behave humanely, should have excellent care on campus and provide support for return if it’s possible but the fact is kids who have attempted suicide absolutely need a leave. I said this earlier but imagine if an employer had an employee attempt suicide in the workplace and the person came back after the weekend with no break and no further evaluation for ability to safely return-it would not be safe or appropriate for the employee and it would not be safe and fair to coworkers.

There’s no way an employer would prevent an employee from returning. That’s a lawsuit waiting to happen. The Yale situation was like firing an employee for a suicide attempt, which would be an unwinnable lawsuit for the employer.

Yale actually handled it well by hospitalizing her and recognizing the problem. The parents didn't. This is not an employer situation and two very different issues.

Yale didn’t hospitalize her. They were informed after the attempt, and then all they did was pressure her to leave voluntarily so that they didn’t need to refund her tuition over an involuntary (and probably illegal) expulsion.

That's probably not why they wanted her to withdraw. Come on. Why jump to that conclusion?

Clearly yale’s behavior leaves a lot (!) to be desired but do you genuinely think kids who attempt suicide are less likely to attempt an again (and possibly succeed) if they go straight from their 48 hrs admission straight back to the same setting with no certainty if follow up or anyone even knowing? Part of being discharged from the hospital after a suicide attempt is the medical staff feeling confident there is appropriate safe follow up such that they are less likely to simply re-attempt. That *never* involves-“don’t tell anyone including the people I live with and simply return to my routine on Sunday after an earnest attempt to kill myself friday!”

If would he better for them to stay in an environment with friends, reduce their classes to 2 or even 1, join a support group and do weekly therapy.

That way they stay involved in moving forward in a positive way, but learn to slowly manage mental health, engaging with community, etc.

It’s actually explained in the link yo how BU handles it or the guide to returning to school after taking a break.

I don't know what BU charges but I don't know how anyone could actually afford this financially. Leave of absence, as another PP stated, would be better. Reducing course load might not be realistic financially. Plus, no one wants to take more than four years to graduate at a place like Yale. It's perceived as failure. Not saying it should be, but that's how it is.