Suicide Prevention

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Public Health Approach to Firearm Suicide Prevention

Room: Paradise A

Speaker(s): 

Sorg, Shanna

Rice-Portwood, Reba

Description: 

The Safer Homes Collaborative (SHC) is dedicated to tackling the urgent issue of firearm-related suicides through lethal means safety (LMS). Over the past seven years, SHC has navigated numerous challenges and achieved significant milestones in messaging, bridging research gaps, reducing stigma, fostering collaboration and partnerships, and securing ongoing funding. This workshop highlights the imperative for behavioral health professionals and community partners to integrate LMS strategies into their comprehensive suicide prevention efforts.

Objectives

1. A foundational understanding of the National and Missouri suicide prevention plans, including the focus on firearm suicide prevention
2. A foundational understanding of the four target audiences that Safer Homes Collaborative focuses on
3. Practical strategies and evidence-based approaches to integrate firearm suicide prevention into their community health initiatives, ultimately contributing to a comprehensive approach to suicide prevention
By

Public Health Approach to Firearm Suicide Prevention

Room

Speaker(s): 

Sorg, Shanna

Description: 

The Safer Homes Collaborative (SHC) is dedicated to tackling the urgent issue of firearm-related suicides through lethal means safety (LMS). Over the past seven years, SHC has navigated numerous challenges and achieved significant milestones in messaging, bridging research gaps, reducing stigma, fostering collaboration and partnerships, and securing ongoing funding. This workshop highlights the imperative for behavioral health professionals and community partners to integrate LMS strategies into their comprehensive suicide prevention efforts.

Objectives

1. Review the National and Missouri suicide prevention plans, including the focus on firearm suicide prevention

2. Discuss the four target audiences that Safer Homes Collaborative focuses on

3. Describe practical strategies and evidence-based approaches to integrate firearm suicide prevention into community health initiatives, ultimately contributing to a comprehensive approach to suicide prevention

By

The Suicide Continuum Unmasked: Understanding Suicide Through a New Lens

Room: Paradise A

Speaker(s): 

Andrews, Bart, PhD

Description: 

The standard model of the suicide continuum suggest people start with thoughts of escapist ideation, and, if things don’t get better, gradually progress through the dimension of non-morbid escapist ideation, to morbid ideation, to passive suicidal ideation to active suicidal ideation, etc. The research doesn’t support this progression. Up to 75% of those who die by suicide denied suicidal thoughts in their last visit behavioral health visit prior to their death. Many that attempt and survive suicide deny recalling suicide thoughts until just upon their attempt. We clinicians need to have a better understanding of the limitations of our suicide risk models and adopt new approaches when working with our clients.

Objectives

1. Review the standard suicide continuum model
2. Explore research that conflicts with this model
3. Identify aspects of standard care that impede better intervention

By

Ward, Racheal, MA

Racheal Ward is the Grant Development Officer, Grant Management and Supervisor for the Firearm Suicide Prevention Grant, and Project Director for the CMHC Grant initiative: Coordinated Solutions at FCC Behavioral Health. She has been with the agency for a little over 9 years. Previously, she has held the positions of Program Director of Youth Mental Health and CPRC Services and Clinical Manager of the Stabilization & Crisis Program (now the Behavioral Health Clinic). As the Grant Development Officer, Racheal is responsible for the writing and development of various grant opportunities for FCC Behavioral Health. As the Program Director for Youth CPRC, Racheal was instrumental in working with local school districts to develop a comprehensive school-based program that has spread to many of the school districts in the FCC Behavioral Health catchment area. Under her leadership, the Youth Mental Health Program, known as Youth STAR, grew from a census of 270 to over 1200 active clients.

Presentation(s):

Firearm Suicide Prevention: A Nascent Approach to preventing Suicide in Rural Southeast Missouri

 

 

By

Daniel, AE, MD, MRC Psych

Dr. A. E. Daniel, is a forensic psychiatrist with decades of experience in mental health and correctional psychiatry. Daniel has worked with mental ill suicidal inmates. In doing so, he worked with correctional officers and other professionals. He was a mental health and correctional administrator, having worked as the Director of Psychiatric Services for the Missouri Department of Corrections between 2000-2007. For several years, he provided direct psychiatric services in a county Jail and various prisons in Missouri. In addition, he has analyzed about 130 inmates who committed suicide. He has published his research on inmate suicide in peer reviewed professional journals. He has testified as an expert witness in Federal and state courts where suicide led to lawsuits. Along with seven distinguished researchers and clinicians from US, Canada and Europe, he updated Resource Guide on Suicide Prevention in Jails for the World health Organization in 2006.

Presentation(s):

Prevent Suicide in Jails and Prisons: Save Lives and Avoid Lawsuits

By

Youth Suicide: A Look at Before and After

Room Paradise Ballroom B

Speaker(s):

Shari Grady, PhD, LCPC, LPC, NCC, CISM

Description

Suicide slipped into the top ten as far as causes of death in the United States (CDC, 2016). Deaths among school-aged children and teens continue to be on the rise; so much so, that suicide has statistically risen to the second leading cause of death among people aged 10-34. Suicide traumatizes those left in its path and how to navigate the grief following a suicide is both tricky and scary. This presentation reviews precipitating factors in youth who die by suicide, as well as risk factors and red flags for youth who attempt it in hopes of informing prevention efforts moving forward. How to best screen kids for suicidality, as well as how to talk to youth who express suicidal thoughts shall also be highlighted. Additionally, this presentation covers common grief reactions in those working through the death of a loved one to suicide and how to best support those individuals.

Objectives

    • Examine 10,000 pediatric suicides to determine factors, causes, and warning signs
    • Identify red flags in suicidal youth
    • Learn how to directly talk with youth who express suicidality
    • Explore steps to take following the suicide death of a student
By

Firearm Suicide Prevention: A nascent approach to preventing suicide in rural southeast Missouri.

Room Paradise Ballroom B

Speaker(s):

Katie Ellison, MS, MA, NCC & Racheal Ward, MA

Description

In 2022, approximately 50,000 Americans tragically lost their lives to suicide, and a concerning majority—over half—chose to end their lives with firearms. Recognizing the gravity of this issue, the U.S. Surgeon General underscores the importance of integrating lethal means safety into a comprehensive public health strategy aimed at preventing suicides. Addressing firearm suicide prevention in rural Missouri poses a unique challenge, as communities deeply entrenched in shooting sports view interventions as potentially antagonistic. Embarking on a groundbreaking initiative, the Safer Homes Collaborative, supported by grant funding from the Missouri Foundation for Health, unites the expertise of the Missouri Institute of Mental Health and the Family Counseling Center. Together, they are dedicated to elevating awareness about lethal means safety strategies that can delay, deter, and prevent suicide.

Objectives

    • Gain a profound understanding of the novelty inherent in a learning grant, specifically aimed at exploring innovative methods to integrate lethal means safety into a comprehensive public health approach to suicide prevention.
    • Explain how the collection of qualitative data is undertaken to assess and appraise the evolving mental frameworks of stakeholders actively involved in firearm suicide prevention.
    • Detail the insights gained in crafting messaging and media campaigns when tackling sensitive topics, emphasizing the lessons learned in navigating challenging subject matter.
    • Acknowledge the insights gained, barriers encountered during implementation, and the proactive approach taken to transform challenges into opportunities and reshape strategies.
By

Prevent Suicide in Jails and Prisons: Save Lives and Avoid Lawsuits

Room Paradise Ballroom B

Speaker(s):

AE Daniel, MD, MRC Psych

Description

Suicide is the number one cause of death in US jails and the third cause in prisons. Inmates are among the highest risk group for suicide worldwide.
Suicide is a major public health issue. We have the highest rate of incarceration among the developed countries. Only 4.4 % of people in the world live in the US. However, 22.4 % of all incarcerated people in the world are in the US jails and prisons.
The emotional and financial consequences and legal ramifications of suicide are staggering. Millions of dollars are paid out to the survivors.
How can deaths by suicide behind bars be prevented; how can we save lives; how can the stakeholders of jails and prisons avoid lawsuits?
This course is for the correctional officers, mental health professionals such as psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, physicians, nurses, therapists, and mental health workers, who work in these facilities and come into direct contact with inmates who could potentially take their lives. In my view, these professionals are the eyes and ears of suicide prevention.
The course is also directed to administrators such as Sheriffs, Wardens, Chief administrators of prisons, shift commanders, trainers and policymakers.
This highly informative, instructive and inspiring course pulls from my 20 years of clinical experience, research on suicide in correctional settings and expert consultations on lawsuits.

 

Objectives

    • Discuss the what, how and why of inmate suicide
    • Separate myths from facts of custodial suicide
    • Identify risk and protective factors to prevent suicide and save lives
    • Describe how to perform proper suicide screening and suicide risk assessment
    • Describe ways on how to be the eyes and ears of suicide prevention, monitoring, and treatment of suicidal inmate
    • Discover how to navigate policies, procedures and practices to avoid lawsuits
    • Review basic principles of legal decision-making in medical negligence and deliberate indifference lawsuits

 

By

The Intersection between Suicide and Individuals with Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities

Paradise Ballroom C

Speaker(s):

Ellison, Kathleen, MS, MA, NCC

Description

Suicide does not discriminate. Perhaps you have heard that statement before. Suicide can happen to anyone, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, socio-demographics, or intellectual and developmental abilities. Identifying risk and protective factors in persons with IDD requires greater understanding for researchers and practitioners, in order to be more effective when assessing risk and developing safety plans. This session will stretch participants’ typical mindsets when providing services to clients with IDD.

Objectives

Define various intellectual and developmental disabilities

Identify the protective factors, risk factors and warning signs for suicide in individuals with IDD

Identify appropriate tools for assessing suicide risk in individuals with IDD

Develop equitable safety plans for individuals with IDD in their living environments

By

Youth Suicide: A Look at Before and After

Paradise Ballroom C

 

Speaker(s):

Scott, Shari, PhD, MA

Description

Suicide slipped into the top ten as far as causes of death in the United States (CDC, 2016). Deaths among school-aged children and teens continue to be on the rise; so much so, that suicide has statistically risen to the second leading cause of death among people aged 10-34. Suicide traumatizes those left in its path and how to navigate the grief following a suicide is both tricky and scary. This presentation reviews precipitating factors in youth who die by suicide, as well as risk factors and red flags for youth who attempt it in hopes of informing prevention efforts moving forward. How to best screen kids for suicidality, as well as how to talk to youth who express suicidal thoughts shall also be highlighted. Additionally, this presentation covers common grief reactions in those working through the death of a loved one to suicide and how to best support those individuals.

Objectives

1. Examine 10,000 pediatric suicides to determine factors, causes, and warning signs
2. Identify red flags in suicidal youth
3. Learn how to directly talk with youth who express suicidality
4. Explore steps to take following the suicide death of a student