• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has announced the availability of funds for suicide prevention.
  
  View details at http://www.samhsa.gov/grants06/fy2006.aspx
  
  There are three separate opportunities:
  
  SM-06-004: Campus Suicide Prevention Grants.
  DUE May 16.
  

  Grants that provide funding to institutions of higher education to enhance services for students with mental and behavioral health problems, such as depression, substance abuse, and suicide attempts.

  It is expected that up to $2.3 million will be available to fund approximately 31 awards in Fiscal Year 2006. Annual awards are expected to be $75,000 in total costs plus an equivalent match from the applicant organization.

  
  SM-06-005: Cooperative Agreements for State-Sponsored Youth Suicide Prevention and Early Intervention
  (Short Title: State/Tribal Youth Suicide Prevention Grants)
  DUE May 16.
  

  Designed to build on the foundation of prior suicide prevention efforts in order to support States and Tribes in developing and implementing statewide or tribal youth suicide prevention and early intervention strategies, grounded in public/private collaboration. Such efforts must involve public/private collaboration among youth-serving institutions and agencies and should include schools, educational institutions, juvenile justice systems, foster care systems, substance abuse and mental health programs, and other child and youth supporting organizations.

  In FY 2006, it is expected that approximately $4.8 million will be available to fund up to 12 awards. The amount of the awards will be up to $400,000 in total costs (direct and indirect) per year for up to 3 years.

  SM-06-010: Cooperative Agreements for Hurricane Katrina-related State-sponsored Youth Suicide Prevention and Early Intervention
  (Short Title: Hurricane Katrina-related Suicide Prevention Grants).
  DUE June 1.
  

  Eligibility for SAMHSA's State-sponsored Youth Suicide Prevention Grant Program is limited to: Louisiana and Mississippi; Public or private non-profit organizations designated by Louisiana or Mississippi to develop or direct the State-sponsored youth suicide prevention and early intervention strategy.

  
  Technical Assistance Conference Calls
  SAMHSA has scheduled application Technical Assistance conference calls. Applicants are welcome, but are NOT required to participate. FAQs will be posted on the SAMHSA Web site at http://www.samhsa.gov/Grants06/RFA/sm06_010_FAQ.doc and http://www.samhsa.gov/Grants06/RFA/SM_06_004_campus_suicide_FAQ.doc. You can also call the contact people on the RFAs with questions.

  For all calls, dial toll-free 1-888-455-1517

  Campus:
  Tuesday, April 11; 3 - 4 pm (Eastern time)
  Tuesday, April 18; 3 - 4 pm (Eastern time)
  
  Campus Call Passcode: Campus
  State/Tribal:
  Thursday, April 13; 3 - 4 pm (Eastern time)
  Thursday, April 20; 3 - 4 pm (Eastern time)
  
  State/Tribal Call Passcode: State-Tribal
  Tribal:
  Thursday, April 20; 4 - 5 pm (Eastern time)
  
  Tribal Call Passcode: Tribal

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• Register now for AAS and SPAN USA Healing After Suicide Conference
  For the first time, SPAN USA is collaborating with AAS to present "In the Spirit of Hope", the 18th annual Healing After Suicide Conference, April 29, 2006 in Seattle, Washington. "Designed by survivors for survivors, this weekend event will bring survivors together in an atmosphere of sharing, understanding, and compassion, moving us forward in our journey of grief and recovery no matter where we are in the process." See the conference registration packet for full details.
  (March 21, 2006)



• Find out about forthcoming SPRC products and activities
  Click here to get a sneak peek at some of the products and activities that SPRC will be engaged in throughout 2006.
  (March 14, 2006)



• Join the SPRC Discussion Series on March 23rd
  Matthew Miller, Associate Director of the Harvard Injury Control Research Center, will be presenting Suicide Prevention: Restricting Access to Lethal Means. The discussion will include the efficacy of means restriction as a suicide prevention strategy and the implications of means substitution in preventing suicide. To participate, contact LaVonne Ortega at lortega@edc.org.
  (March 13, 2006)



• Training on how to facilitate a survivor support group
  The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) has developed a comprehensive, hands-on training program to help survivors learn how to create and facilitate a support group for survivors of suicide loss. The program is appropriate for facilitators of new or existing groups. Mental health professionals are also welcome. The next training is June 2-3 in West Palm Beach, FL. For details and registration, please go to http://www.afsp.org/survivor/training.htm or call 212-363-3500 ext 10. AFSP is also developing self-study training materials; for more information, please email inquiry@afsp.org.
  (March 13, 2006)

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• Youth Resources Bibliography Now Available Online
  SPRC has compiled an annotated bibliography of resources about youth suicide prevention and mental health promotion. The list is organized by the following sections: youth-general, college, juvenile justice, resources for youth, research and data.
  (February 14, 2006)



• What Co-Workers Can Do to Prevent Suicide.
  Part of SPRC's Customized Information Series, this web resource, also available as a PDF document, describes how people can recognize and respond to signs of suicide among their colleagues at work. The resource includes links to additional relevant websites, publications and organizations.
  (February 6, 2006)

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• Newest issue of Advancing Suicide Prevention now available
  This January 2006 issue focuses on youth suicide and includes:
  • a message from Charles G. Curie at SAMHSA about new data on suicidal ideation in youth,
  • a feature on barriers to treatment of suicidal youth,
  • an interview with researcher DeQuincy Lezine who is a multiple suicide attempt survivor,
  • and a special report on the rise in suicide deaths in the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast.
  Download the issue now.
  (January 30, 2006)



• "Incorporating Suicide Attempt Survivors in State & Local Suicide Prevention Efforts"
  The audio files from this SPRC discussion series presented by Dr. DeQuincy Lezine, a researcher with the University of Rochester who serves on the Board of Directors of OASSIS, are now available online.
  (January 20, 2006)



• SAMHSA Suicide Prevention Grantee Conference Materials: SAMHSA Suicide Prevention Grantee Conference Materials: View the agenda and presentations given at the Dec. 13-15 orientation meeting for SAMHSA's 44 new suicide prevention grantees.
  (January 13, 2006)



• Competencies for Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk-Training Opportunity.
  SPRC, in partnership with AAS, has developed a one-day training curriculum for mental health professionals. We now seek clinicians interested in being trained to deliver the course in a fee-for-service model. Approximately 12 individuals will be fully funded to participate in a training March 29-31 in Washington DC. Apply by Jan. 31.
  (January 12, 2006)



• New Guide for Working with the Media Available from SPRC and SPAN USA
  The "Guide to Engaging the Media in Suicide Prevention" is a 44-page guide that teaches you how to serve as an effective media spokesperson and how to generate media coverage to create awareness of suicide prevention. The publication describes how to use television, radio, and print media and provides examples of press releases, media advisories, pitch letters, op-eds and more. It also gives tips for identifying appropriate media outlets, creating up-to-date media lists, and tracking your results.
  (January 9, 2006)



• President Signs Labor, Health & Human Services Appropriations Bill
  On December 30, 2005, President Bush signed into law the Department of Labor, Heath and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2006 which appropriates a total of $30 million for suicide prevention. For more details, visit SPAN USA's Action Alert.
  (January 9, 2006)

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