> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.goguardian.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Core Letter Template for Counselors — Suicide and Self-Harm Alerts > A customizable template letter for schools to inform Beacon Core users about their role in reviewing suicide and self-harm alerts. GoGuardian Beacon provides a sample letter that schools and districts can customize and send to staff who will have access to the Beacon Alerts page. This letter helps orient counselors and other designated users to their role in reviewing suicide and self-harm alerts generated by Beacon Core. Remove all instructional text before sending this letter. Replace all bracketed placeholder text — such as `[insert name of school/district]` — with your school or district's information. This template is provided for informational purposes only. GoGuardian does not warrant that it satisfies any applicable federal, state, or district requirement. Your school or district remains solely responsible for ensuring all communications with staff comply with applicable laws, standards, and policies. Contact [goguardianbeacon@goguardian.com](mailto:goguardianbeacon@goguardian.com) with questions about how to use this template. Dear \[insert name], This school year, \[insert name of school/district] has adopted GoGuardian Beacon Core services as part of our school's broader suicide prevention program. You are receiving this letter because you will have access to the Beacon Alerts page and will be reviewing alerts as they come through. **What is GoGuardian Beacon?** GoGuardian Beacon helps notify \[insert name of school/district]'s counselors and other school support staff if the system detects that a student searches, creates, views, or interacts with online content that could be related to suicide or self-harm. Because of this, GoGuardian Beacon helps \[insert name of school/district] identify when a student may be at risk of suicide or self-harm. GoGuardian Beacon was designed in consultation with mental health experts, including the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (a nationally recognized not-for-profit organization dedicated to suicide prevention) and the American Association of Suicidology. It is important to know that neither \[insert name of school/district] nor GoGuardian Beacon can detect every situation when a student is suicidal. **What to expect** As a Beacon user, you can expect to see alerts populate your Beacon Alerts page. \[Insert the actions users must take when they receive alerts and your school's suicide prevention plan.] **What are all of the alert phases?** **Active Planning** — Online behavior and content that may demonstrate the student is actively planning their suicide, such as looking up methodologies or composing suicide notes. **Suicide Ideation** — Online behavior and content that could indicate that a student is forming or expressing thoughts about suicide, including thoughts about their own suicide. **Self Harm** — Online behavior and content that may demonstrate a student's desire to harm themselves without intent to end their life. **Help & Support** — Online behavior and content that may demonstrate the student is seeking help and support resources for themselves or a peer, such as hotline numbers, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention documents, or support forums. **Suicide Research** — Online behavior and content that may demonstrate the student is looking up statistics and information about suicide, as one might for a class assignment rather than exhibiting signs of Suicide Ideation. **What will an alert look like?** Each alert card on the Beacon Alerts page displays the following information: 1. **Student Name** — Name and email address of the student who generated the alert. 2. **Date** — The date and time that the alert was generated. 3. **Frequency of Alerts** — The total number of recent alerts that this student has generated. 4. **New Alert** — New and unread alerts are distinguished by a dark outline and light blue highlighting. 5. **Actions Taken For This Alert** — List of actions recorded by counselors within the alert details page. 6. **Primary Guardian** — Primary parent or guardian contact information. Open the alert for full contact details. 7. **Predicted Phase** — A description of the online behavior as identified by Beacon. **How do I take action on an alert?** There are three options for reviewing alerts in Beacon Core: **Option 1** — Click the icon next to the predicted phase and select whether the predicted phase was correct. **Option 2** — Toggle any actions taken related to this alert, including an in-person conversation, guardian contact, or response protocol initiation. **Option 3** — Select a risk level for this specific alert. **Note:** Taking action on an alert card removes the blue outline and stops further email notifications about that alert. It is important to review the Beacon Help Center resources for more information about Beacon. Let us know if you have any questions. Warmly, \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \[Insert name of school administrator (e.g., principal)] \[Insert name of school/district] ## Resources Configure which alert phases generate dashboard cards and notifications. Navigate the Beacon Alerts page and understand alert card layout. Review the access levels available to Beacon users. Definitions for key Beacon terms, including alert phases.