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Announcements

  • Indian Health Service’s TeleBehavioral Health Center for Excellence hosts second webinar in its series on suicide prevention training June 17, 2013, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. ET.

    Understanding Suicide will discuss the importance of shared definitions of suicide, the differences between warning signs and risk factors, how to utilize protective factors and how to effectively identify warning signs and risk and protective factors. From the registration page, registrants should enter as “guest,” enter first and last name and the passcode, and click “save.”

    For more information

  • Safe States and the CDC present webinar, Understanding Evidence, Wednesday, June 26, 2013, 2:00 PM - 3:30 p.m ET.

    This webinar, intended for state/territorial injury and violence prevention programs, will provide an overview of Understanding Evidence, a new interactive web resource developed by CDC’s Division of Violence Prevention that supports public health practitioners in making evidence-informed decisions related to violence and suicide prevention. Understanding Evidence will also provide real-world scenarios illustrating how state injury and violence prevention practitioners, coalitions, and evaluators can use the tool to strengthen practice and evaluation of violence prevention strategies.

    For more information

  • Well Aware presents live online chat, Working with Suicidal Patients: Emerging Best Practices in Risk Assessment and Treatment, Wednesday, June 19, 2013, 2 -3 p.m. ET.

    Thomas Ellis, Director of Psychology at the Menninger Clinic and Professor of Psychiatry in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, will discuss the lack of provider competency standards for treating suicidal clients (which is due in part to a general lack of awareness of emerging best practices in risk assessment and treatment of suicidal patients). He will also discuss those emerging best practices and how they are applied in treatment settings.

    For more information

Research

  • Comprehensive Suicide Prevention for College Campuses

    This “Perspectives” piece offers a comprehensive framework for preventing suicide on college campuses that the authors contrast with the “standard” framework “which relies on referral to, and treatment by, mental health services.” The authors acknowledge that this framework is similar to that being used by campus grantees of the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act.

    The framework put forward by these researchers describes five types of “preventive actions” across three “zones of intervention.” The first of these is the “prevention zone,” which includes:  (1) ecological prevention, which uses policy, procedures, and system changes to transform the physical and social environment in which students live; and (2) proactive prevention, which uses psychological interventions to counter individual risks (such as financial strain and academic problems).

    The second zone is the “clinical intervention zone.” This zone includes: (1) early interventions, such as screening programs, thematic groups, leaderless self-help programs, individual counseling, and stress management techniques and (2) treatment and crisis intervention, which includes crisis counseling, pharmacological intervention, individual and group treatment, and inpatient treatment.

    The final zone of intervention is the “recovery zone,” which supports high-risk individuals through peer-support systems, recovery-community building, access to individual and group sessions, and psychoeducational interventions.

    Drum, D. J., & Denmark, A. B. (2012) Campus suicide prevention: Bridging paradigms and forging partnerships. Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 20(4), 209-221.

     

    SPRC Resource Note

    David Drum and Adryon Denmark point out that a college’s resources may be better spent on population-based prevention strategies that reduce the number of students who become distressed, rather than only relying on reactive approaches such as crisis intervention and clinical treatment. They also highlight the need to broaden ownership of campus suicide prevention efforts to improve and sustain success.

    The multifaceted approach to campus suicide prevention described by Drum and Denmark is similar to the Comprehensive Approach to Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Promotion developed by SPRC and the Jed Foundation.

    Education Development Center, Inc. and the Jed Foundation recently created Campus MHAP: A Guide to Campus Mental Health Action Planning, which can help colleges and universities develop a comprehensive plan to promote mental health and prevent suicide in their campus communities.

News

National News

  • Study: Identifying suicide risk factors

    A new study from researchers at Stanford University and Lund University (Sweden) is one of the largest population-wide studies to date to examine a range of risk factors for suicide. According to the study (which looked at over seven million Swedish adults, 8,721 of whom died by suicide between 2001 and 2008), depression was the greatest risk factor, with an up to 32-fold risk within the first three months after diagnosis. All psychiatric disorders were strong risk factors for suicide. Some physical ailments, including cancer, spine disorders, and stroke were also associated with increased risk. Approximately half of suicide decedents had visited a doctor within the three month period before they completed suicide, and about a quarter had visited a doctor as recently as two weeks prior.

    The Atlantic

    Spark Extra! Read the abstract of “Sociodemographic, psychiatric and somatic risk factors for suicide: A Swedish national cohort study” 

State News

  • State bar association moves to address lawyer suicides

    The Kentucky Bar Association’s lawyer assistance program (KYLAP) has undertaken several new initiatives in the hope of reducing suicide among lawyers. During the upcoming Kentucky Law Update (a continuing education program offered by the bar), KYLAP will devote an hour of time to educating lawyers to recognize the signs that a colleague may be at risk for suicide. In addition, Yvette Hourigan, director of KYLAP, plans to present the QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) suicide prevention gatekeeper training program to lawyers in each of the seven judicial districts in Kentucky.

    Associations Now

International News

  • National strategy on indigenous suicide

    Australia

    The Australian government has launched a national strategy specifically addressing suicide among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations. The suicide rate among these groups is approximately twice that of the rest of the population. The new strategy was developed in consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and focuses on early intervention. Over four years, $17.8 million in funding will support the establishment of local suicide prevention networks and a centralized resource center to support community-led activities and share knowledge and best practices.

    ProBono News Australia

    Spark Extra! Read the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Strategy

  • Suicide prevention plan “critically important” – PM

    New Zealand

    New Zealand’s new national suicide prevention program includes a number of new initiatives, such as a trial program that will offer support for small communities that lose major industries. Another new effort will help Maori and Pasifika communities develop their own suicide prevention programs. The government will also work with the Health Quality and Safety Commission to develop a better understanding of patterns of suicidal behavior in New Zealand.

    The New Zealand Herald

    Spark Extra! Read the New Zealand Suicide Prevention Action Plan 2013-2016

Funding

  • Continuity of Care and Follow-Up App Challenge

    The purpose of this challenge is to develop an innovative app that will provide continuity of care and follow-up care linkages for persons at risk for suicide discharged from an inpatient unit or ED. Functions can include live chat with the Lifeline, safety planning, scheduling appointments and transportation to care and treatment. At a minimum, entrants must include safety planning and access to services through the Lifeline and SAMHSA’s treatment locator. Deadline: August 9, 2013
    Eligible Applicants: Individuals or organizations meeting eligibility requirements outlined on the website
    Funding Agency/Department: SAMHSA
    Funding Amount: 3 prizes of $20,000, $30,000 and $50,000

    Continuity of Care and Follow-Up App Challenge

    Show Details
    The purpose of this challenge is to develop an innovative app that will provide continuity of care and follow-up care linkages for persons at risk for suicide discharged from an inpatient unit or ED. Functions can include live chat with the Lifeline, safety planning, scheduling appointments and transportation to care and treatment. At a minimum, entrants must include safety planning and access to services through the Lifeline and SAMHSA’s treatment locator. Deadline: August 9, 2013
    Eligible Applicants: Individuals or organizations meeting eligibility requirements outlined on the website
    Funding Agency/Department: SAMHSA
    Funding Amount: 3 prizes of $20,000, $30,000 and $50,000

    For more information


  • Outreach Partnership Program

    This program works to increase the public’s access to science-based mental health information through partnerships with national and state nonprofit organizations. The program is designed to foster understanding about mental disorders and help to reduce misperceptions and negative attitudes towards mental illness; increase awareness of the role of research in the understanding, prevention, and treatment of mental illnesses; and increase awareness about the benefits of participating in mental health research.

    Deadline: August 22, 2013
    Eligible Applicants: Nonprofit organizations that conduct outreach on mental health in 22 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico
    Funding Agency/Department: NIMH
    Funding Amount: $7,500 awarded annually for one year and renewable for two subsequent years
    For more information

    Outreach Partnership Program

    Show Details

    This program works to increase the public’s access to science-based mental health information through partnerships with national and state nonprofit organizations. The program is designed to foster understanding about mental disorders and help to reduce misperceptions and negative attitudes towards mental illness; increase awareness of the role of research in the understanding, prevention, and treatment of mental illnesses; and increase awareness about the benefits of participating in mental health research.


    Eligible Applicants: Nonprofit organizations that conduct outreach on mental health in 22 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico
    Funding Agency/Department: NIMH
    Funding Amount: $7,500 awarded annually for one year and renewable for two subsequent years

    For more information


  • Basic Center Program (BCP)

    BCPs provide an alternative for runaway and homeless youth who might otherwise end up arrested or detained by law enforcement or in the child welfare, mental health or juvenile justice systems. Each BCP must provide runaway and homeless youth with a safe and appropriate shelter and individual, family and group counseling as well as address imminent needs, including mental health needs, of youth through appropriate referrals or direct interventions.

    Deadline: July 22, 2013

    Eligible Applicants: Eligible Applicants: State/Tribal/County/District/City or township governments; higher education; housing authorities; nonprofits
    Funding Agency/Department: Funding Agency/Department: Administration on Children, Youth and Families
    Funding Amount: Funding Amount: Up to 116 awards of up to $200,000 each (a 10% match is required)

    Basic Center Program (BCP)

    Show Details

    BCPs provide an alternative for runaway and homeless youth who might otherwise end up arrested or detained by law enforcement or in the child welfare, mental health or juvenile justice systems. Each BCP must provide runaway and homeless youth with a safe and appropriate shelter and individual, family and group counseling as well as address imminent needs, including mental health needs, of youth through appropriate referrals or direct interventions.

    Deadline: July 22, 2013


    Eligible Applicants: Eligible Applicants: State/Tribal/County/District/City or township governments; higher education; housing authorities; nonprofits
    Funding Agency/Department: Funding Agency/Department: Administration on Children, Youth and Families
    Funding Amount: Funding Amount: Up to 116 awards of up to $200,000 each (a 10% match is required)

    For more information