Goals, Objectives, Activities

Goal 1: Improve screening and identification of, and referral to services for, youth at risk of suicide

Objective 1.1. Increase skill and knowledge of school-based substance abuse counselors at the Brien Center substance abuse treatment unit in identifying youth at risk of suicide

• Activity 1.1.1: Provide suicide risk assessment training to school-based substance abuse counselors employed by the Brien Center

• Activity 1.1.: Create a list of suicide prevention resources for staff, such as hotline numbers.

Objective 1.2: High school and middle school parents who will demonstrate increased ability to identify risk factors and warning signs of suicide, and knowledge of referral resources and procedures

• Activity 1.2.1: Provide trainings to parents in 7 high schools and 4 middle schools (7th and 8th grade) which incorporates info about risk factors, warning signs and available resources

• Activity 1.2.2: Create and distribute suicide prevention materials and resource information to parents at trainings

Objective 1.3: 75 % of program staff from 15 youth serving agencies will demonstrate increased knowledge and skill in identifying risk factors and warning signs of suicide, and in making referrals for those in need of services

• Activity 1.3.1: Provide gatekeeper training to community-based agencies who have not had training within last two years

• Activity 1.3.2: Provide staff with resource and referral information

Objective 1.4: 60% of first responders agencies (fire, police, EMT agencies) will demonstrate sufficient knowledge and skill in early identification, screening of and referral for youth at high risk for suicide

• Activity 1.4.1: Conduct gatekeeper training for first responders Outputs Intermediate Outcomes: Long term Outcomes

Goal 2: Increase help-seeking behaviors among youth to prevent suicide

Objective 2.1: Increase youth knowledge of community, state, and national suicide prevention resources

• Activity 2.1.1: Create and distribute wallet cards with resources within the community and for youth receiving services in youth serving orgs

• Activity 2.1.2: Promote web-based media resources for youth that include SP resource information

Goal 3: Community agencies will have updated and appropriately reviewed protocols to adequately address youth suicidal behavior

Objective 3.1 X% of youth-serving organizations and schools will have developed/updated (as needed), reviewed and trained staff in current crisis and referral protocols and procedures for responding to youth suicidal behavior.

• Activity 3.1.1 Provide consultation in the development and/or editing and application of best practice models for protocols and procedures for responding to youth suicidal behavior

• Activity 3.1.2 Provide consultation/training to staff in implementing protocols and procedures for responding to youth suicidal behavior Trainings conducted All agencies that have protocols will have reviewed them with staff and developed a plan to do so semi-annually

• Activity 3.1.3 Work with umbrella funding agencies (i.e. the United Way) to mandate suicide intervention protocols with their grant requirements

Goal 4: Reduce risk and promote protective factors in at-risk youth

Objective 4.1 Increase connectedness and sense of belonging for LGBTQ youth in school and the community

• Activity 4.1.1 Develop and coordinate a LGBTQ youth subcommittee of Berkshire Coalition for Suicide Prevention to examine/address social isolation of LGBTQ youth in the region

• Activity 4.1.2 Identify and support schools that currently have GSAs, and support schools that wish to create GSAs Identification of schools who are looking to initiate/expand their GSA’s Membership in GSA’s increases

Goal 5 Build capacity of the community to address the issue of youth suicide

Objective 5.1 Increase individual and organizational networks working together to address the issue of suicide

• Activity 5.1.1 Create a Berkshire Coalition for Suicide Prevention (BCSP)

• Activity 5.1.2: Create a contact distribution list to interested individuals, professionals, and organizations who may be interested in joining the coalition and other activities

New Project Coordinator

I am pleased to announce that we have hired a new Project Coordinator. Bear McHugh began on Monday, March 1, 2010.

Bear has an MSW with an extensive clinical background and has a long history working with youth, addiction and mental health. He is an LCSW, CASAC. Bear also is the founder of Diversity Matters Corp. and has done trainings on diversity. His recent work also includes being a real estate investor/landlord. He has experience in developing, implementing and evaluating programs and services.

Bear has great energy and I am confident you will find it a pleasure to work with him.

Berkshire County Coalition for Suicide Prevention meeting a huge success!

Greetings

The first ever Berkshire County Coalition for Suicide Prevention on November 17th, 2009 at the Crowne Plaza hotel was a huge success! Over 80 people showed up to support the cause of suicide prevention from all segments of the population. The diversity was amazing - professionals, citizens, elderly and youth and everthing in between.

The agenda for the first meeting was packed, but we managed to get throught it. Coalition members were greeted with an introduction speech by Massachusetts Coalitonf or Suicide Prevention Co-chair Kimberly Gleason who explained the state's support for our local coalition. The members then completed two surveys to get an idea of our community priorities - one on a broad scale covering all age groups, and one directed at youth suicide prevention. Afterward, all members got a chance to speak during an "open-mic" like session. I passed around the microphone as people asked questions, gave their thoughts, and shared ideas. It was a great process that connected everyone together toward a unified cause and facilitated the networking session at the end of the meeting. Many people made new contacts.

Before the next meeting scheduled for sometime in early January, I will tally the survey results and share them with the group. I will also plan to have a speaker talk about his or agency's services related to suicide prevention. We will then be on our way to creating coalition goals for the coming year. For those of you reading this who attended, I hope to see you back again, for you other, please contact me so I can add you to the list.

Also, more from the Youth Suicide Prevention Project later as we finish up some programmic goals later this week.

And as always, feel free to post your comments and to contact me - Jon Phillips - for more information at jphillips@berkshireahec.org or 413-447-2417. Thank you!

Berkshire County Coalition for Suicide Prevention on Nov 17th

Hello again

Exciting news! Below I pasted the flyer annoucement for the first ever Berkshire County Coalition for Suicide Prevention meeting. I hope you are intersted and can make it. Don't hesitate to let me know your thoughts about things you would like to see on the agenda. Thank you.

Have you been touched by Suicide?

Are you a survivor yourself, or through a loved one, friend, family members, co-workers? Do you work with suicidal clients? Suicides not only affect the individual but the whole community. In Massachusetts suicide deaths are three times the rate of homicides deaths. The suicide rate in rural areas like Berkshire County is higher compared to other areas of the state. Yet evidence-based research shows that suicide is preventable. The Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention (MCSP) is forming a coalition in Berkshire County to help reduce the suicide rate in our community. All members are invited – youth, professionals, public officials, and concerned citizens. The purpose of this coalition is to:
· Network & create partnerships to increase awareness of suicide as a preventable public heath problem;
· Reduce stigma associated with suicide as a significant barrier to help-seeking;
· Influence the provision of services directed at populations at high-risk of suicide;
· Influence public policy in regards to suicide prevention services;
· Create strategies, goals & objectives to reduce the incidence of suicide.

What: Berkshire County Coalition for Suicide Prevention Meeting
(A Project of Berkshire CHNA Youth Suicide Prevention Project)

When: Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Time: 6:00 - 8:00 pm

Where: Crowne Plaza, Top of the Plaza, One West Street, Pittsfield

Tuna & Chicken Salad Wraps, chips and cold drinks will be served.
Please RSVP by Thursday, November 12, 2009 to Sheila Dargie at sdargie@berkshireahec.org or (413) 447-2417

“The Key to Solving the Puzzle is Your Involvement”

For more information contact:
Jon Phillips, Project Coordinator
(413) 447-2417
jphillips@berkshireahec.org

Community Needs & Assets Assessment almost complete

Hello

Just wanted to update you on the progress of the CHNA's Youth Suicide Prevention Project Streering Committee's Needs Assessment for Berkshire County. It is almost complete! We have narrowed down six possible areas of focus from info and date we collected:

1) Targeting/increasing services for the GLBTQ youth and young adult population
2) Increasing awareness and reducing stigma associated with suicide
3) Targeting/increasing substance abuse services for youth
4) Targeting/increasing ‘First Responders’ training (EMT’s, Emergency Dept staff, police, firemen and women, etc.)
5) Targeting/increasing suicide response protocols in schools, agencies, youth programs, etc.
6) Targeting programs to increase access to services for more rural and isolated populations

However these are not set in stone. We still have a month or two to go before we finalize this list and focus on providing services. Please let me know any thoughts you have about this list, and/or any suggestions you have that may not be on the list.

Thanks for tuning in and I hope to hear from you soon.

Jon Phillips, Project Coordinator

Great progress on the Youth Suicide Prevention Program

Hello to everyone

This is my first post since being hired as the Youth Suicide Prevention (YSP) Coordinator for Berkshire County. It's great to be a part of Berkshire AHEC. Things started off on a great note - a YSP Steering Committee has been established to complete a Community Needs & Assets Assessment for the whole county. It is a very thorough document and we plan to have it completed by October 1st, 2009. It will give us a very good idea of service gaps in the area of suicide prevention - and where we need to direct or resources. The Needs Assessment will be the tool to create services that area agencies will deliver - it's more of a grass roots approach. Funding will be provided to agencies that are best suited to deliver the suicide prevention services. There are many needs and many ways to do this. Please don't hesitate to give me your ideas on what Berkshire County can do to reduce the suicide rate in our community.

Thanks and I will return with an update right after the Needs Assessment is complete in October.

Coordinator has been hired

Jon Phillips has been hired as the full time Project Coordinator. Jon has degrees from Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA (MSW in Planning and Administration) and George Mason University, Fairfax, VA (BS in Clinical Psychology). He has extensive experience as a trainer/case manager working in the field of suicide prevention among youth. Welcome Jon!