tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56633642521625811402024-03-14T06:22:32.543-04:00Virginia Suicide Prevention CoalitionThe Virginia Suicide Prevention Coalition is a public-private partnership of state and local agencies, community-based groups, non-profit organizations and individuals involved in reducing suicide completions and attempts in the Commonwealth by implementing a statewide suicide prevention strategy, advocating for prevention programs and educating others in suicide awareness and intervention.christyscrisishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00894785707996079410noreply@blogger.comBlogger153125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663364252162581140.post-22796918967249028822014-12-22T10:03:00.000-05:002014-12-22T10:03:13.821-05:00The Holidays and Suicide Loss<div class="lead" style="background: #FBF7E9; margin-bottom: .1in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Excerpted from Surviving Suicide Loss: A Resource and
Healing Guide available at www.afsp.org </span></div>
<div class="lead" style="background: #FBF7E9; margin-bottom: .1in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><span style="color: #8c4b17;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Celebrating anniversaries,
birthdays, holidays, and other occasions after a suicide loss can be
challenging. These events can bring up painful memories and feelings, but they
also can provide an opportunity to celebrate your loved one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16.8pt; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Follow your
intuition and do what feels best to you. You can always choose a different way
to observe the occasion the next time. Here are some ways to handle occasions
that other survivors of a suicide loss have found helpful.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Think
about your family's holiday traditions. Consider which ones you would like to
continue, and which you would not. Consider developing new traditions if that
feels best.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 16.8pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> Other
family members or friends may feel differently than you do about the way occasions
have been celebrated in the past. As you are able, talk openly together about
your preferences before the holiday so you will know what to expect.</span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Consider
whether you want to be with your family and friends for the holiday, or whether
it would be more healing for you to be with a smaller group or by yourself this
time. Consider taking a trip if that feels right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Be
aware that anticipating an event is sometimes harder than the event itself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->If
you find it comforting to talk about your loved one, let your family and
friends know that in advance. Tell them it’s okay to mention your loved one's
name.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->If
you would find it comforting, make a plan to get your loved one’s friends and
family together to acknowledge her or his birthday. If spending the day alone
feels like a better choice, or with just one or two close friends or family,
that’s okay, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Some
people who have lost someone to suicide find this ritual helpful for observing
holiday gatherings:<br />
<i><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;"> Light two candles, then blow
one out. Explain that the extinguished candle represents the person lost to
suicide, and the one that continues to burn represents the loved ones who are
present, carrying the memory of our loved one. Let the candle burn
throughout the holiday meal or event, placing it aside if you like. The glowing
flame remains a quiet reminder of the one who is missing.</span></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--> </span></div>
<br />
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Above
all, bear in mind that there is no correct way to handle holidays,
anniversaries, or birthdays. You and your family may decide to try several
different approaches before finding one that feels best.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
christyscrisishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00894785707996079410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663364252162581140.post-10082453363201581332014-12-09T11:55:00.000-05:002014-12-09T11:55:01.149-05:00Conference Call Agenda<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Agenda</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Virginia Suicide Prevention Coalition<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">December 9, 2014<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1:30pm-3:30pm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">866 842 5779, conference code 852 794
4303<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Introductions (All): Who are
you? What area of the state are you
working in? What activities are you
supporting at this time?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A brief history of the Coalition:
Christy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Discussion: Growing the work of
the coalition: Who else should be
included?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Concerns on the horizon? Things
we can help support<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Creating a roster<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next meeting?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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christyscrisishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00894785707996079410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663364252162581140.post-7058502505227194232014-11-25T16:02:00.001-05:002014-11-25T16:02:21.824-05:00<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 24.0pt;">Virginia Suicide Prevention Coalition<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 24.0pt;">Save the date!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wMlng-XrIi4/VHTuSDQ2C0I/AAAAAAAAALs/5mZsJNJL0fU/s1600/calendar.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wMlng-XrIi4/VHTuSDQ2C0I/AAAAAAAAALs/5mZsJNJL0fU/s1600/calendar.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">Who: All interested
stakeholders in suicide prevention in Virginia<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">What: Conference Call<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">When: Tuesday, December
9<sup>th</sup> from 1:30pm to 3:30pm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">This conference call is an
attempt to connect all concerned stakeholders working on any level to prevent
suicide. We will use this first call for introductions, regional updates,
to identify challenges and to plan next steps for our prevention work in the
State. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">Call details and agenda to
follow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">Please feel free to share
this save the date with anyone working to prevent suicide who is interested in
being part of the call.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">If you are unable to attend,
but interested in the work, please feel free to be in touch with Christy
Letsom. Ideas and agenda items are welcome.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">Updates will be posted to <a href="http://www.vaspc.blogspot.com/">http://www.vaspc.blogspot.com</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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christyscrisishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00894785707996079410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663364252162581140.post-76563764267524011722014-10-27T16:31:00.001-04:002014-10-27T16:31:53.736-04:00SafeTALK Training <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-47TuNLWh2Qc/VE6rD2p_XaI/AAAAAAAAALM/qB59198mgQw/s1600/safetalk.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-47TuNLWh2Qc/VE6rD2p_XaI/AAAAAAAAALM/qB59198mgQw/s1600/safetalk.gif" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;"><br /></span></b><b><i><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 22.0pt;">safeTALK</span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 18pt;"><br />
</span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">Suicide Alertness Training for Everyone</span></i></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Sunday,
November 2, 2014</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2:00-5:00
p.m.</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Saint
Patrick Catholic School, <br />
1000 Bolling Ave., Norfolk, VA 23508</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br />
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?</span></u></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Everyone can be trained to be a <i>safeTALK</i> Alert Helper. <br />
School Personnel, Clinicians, Youth Leaders, Parents, Clergy, Resident
Assistants, Coaches and all Individuals who work with people at risk and
survivors would benefit from this program.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">HOW DO I REGISTER?</span></u></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
To register, please email: <b>Michelle Peterson</b></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Sarah Michelle</span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <b>Peterson</b> <b>Foundation</b></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="mailto:sarahmpetersonfoundation@gmail.com" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">sarahmpetersonfoundation@gmail.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Only 30 spots are available for this training. Register ASAP.</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">This free training is being offered
by AFSP VA Chapter in Formation <br />
in partnership with The Sarah Michelle Peterson Foundation, Norfolk VA. </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">ABOUT
safeTALK</span></u></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 10pt;">safeTALK, </span></i></b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 10pt;">a program of LivingWorks, is three hour
suicide alertness training is presented by the American Foundation for Suicide
Prevention. This training prepares anyone over the age of 15 to identify
persons with thoughts of suicide and connect them to suicide first aid
resources. Most people with thoughts of suicide invite help to stay safe. Alert
helpers know how to use these opportunities to support that desire for safety. <br />
<br />
Expect to be challenged…expect to have feelings…expect to be hopeful.
Most persons with thoughts of suicide go unrecognized—even though they are,
directly or indirectly, requesting help. Without suicide prevention
knowledge and skills, these invitations often go unaccepted, or even unnoticed.
With more suicide alert helpers, more people with thoughts of suicide will get
connected to the intervention help they want. <strong><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Suicide alert helpers are part of a
suicide-safer community. </span></strong>Powerful video clips illustrate both
non-alert and alert responses. Discussion and practice help stimulate
learning. Learn steps that contribute to saving lives. <br />
<br />
<b>Practice the <em><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">TALK</span></em>
steps – <i>Tell, Ask, Listen and Keep Safe</i>. </b></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 10pt;">CEU’s are available for safeTALK training attendees.</span></strong><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">For
additional information on safeTALK or to obtain CEU information, </span></strong><b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">please contact Melanie
Varady at <a href="mailto:mvarady@afsp.org"><span style="font-weight: normal;">mvarady@afsp.org</span></a>.</span></strong></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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christyscrisishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00894785707996079410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663364252162581140.post-51124935744903575722014-08-26T12:40:00.002-04:002014-08-26T12:40:39.409-04:00Monthly Update of Suicide Prevention Activities<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">From Anya Shaffer, </span></b>Suicide Prevention Program Coordinator, Virginia Department of Health</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Events/Trainings<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Get Ready for World
Suicide Prevention Day<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">September 10, 2014 is World
Suicide Prevention Day. You can find materials to help you plan and implement
activities for this important occasion on the <a href="http://www.iasp.info/wspd/" target="_blank" title="http://www.iasp.info/wspd/">International Association for Suicide
Prevention website</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Opportunities<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Comment on SAMHSA's
Strategic Plan for 2015–2018<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">Feedback
Deadline: Monday, August 18, 2014<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">SAMHSA
is the agency within HHS that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral
health of the Nation. This strategic plan outlines work to increase the
awareness and improve understanding about mental and substance use disorders;
promote emotional health and wellness, and the prevention of substance abuse
and mental illness; increase access to effective treatment; and support
recovery. An important component of the plan is to prioritize six Strategic
Initiatives and the linkages between these initiatives and SAMHSA's policy,
programmatic, and financial planning. At its core, this plan offers a framework
for common categories of initiatives that enables cross-collaboration and
organization of SAMHSA's work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><a href="http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTQwNzI4LjM0NTI3MjIxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE0MDcyOC4zNDUyNzIyMSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE2OTI1NjY0JmVtYWlsaWQ9ZWlsZWVuLnplbGxlckBzYW1oc2EuaGhzLmdvdiZ1c2VyaWQ9ZWlsZWVuLnplbGxlckBzYW1oc2EuaGhzLmdvdiZmbD0mZXh0cmE9TXVsdGl2YXJpYXRlSWQ9JiYm&&&102&&&http://store.samhsa.gov/leadingchange/feedback/SAMHSA-Leading-Change%202-0.pdf">Download
Leading Change 2.0</a> </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">Provide
feedback at <a href="http://store.samhsa.gov/leadingchange/feedback/">http://store.samhsa.gov/leadingchange/feedback/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Resources<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">New Report Gives Voice to
Suicide Attempt Survivors<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The National Action Alliance
for Suicide Prevention’s Suicide Attempt Survivors Task Force has released<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><em><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">The
Way Forward</span></em>, a report which gives voice to suicide attempt
survivors and bridges the gap between suicide attempt survivors, clinicians,
hospital policy makers, and suicide prevention leaders. <i>The Way Forward</i>
summarizes eight core values and offers a lens through which suicide prevention
can be envisioned to embrace safety and bring hope and meaning to those in
suicidal despair. Read</span><span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span><a href="http://actionallianceforsuicideprevention.org/sites/actionallianceforsuicideprevention.org/files/The-Way-Forward-Final-2014-07-01.pdf"><i>The
Way Forward</i></a><i><span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">and the</span><span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span><a href="http://actionallianceforsuicideprevention.org/sites/actionallianceforsuicideprevention.org/files/SASTF%20The%20Way%20Forward%20media%20release%20final%20with%20links.pdf">press
release</a><span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">about
this pivotal path for change and a roadmap to save lives. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Model
School Policy from the Trevor Project<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt;">Reducing the
risk of youth suicide requires making positive changes. To help make it easier
for schools to prevent, assess, intervene in, and respond to suicidal behavior,
The Trevor Project has collaborated to create a Model School District Policy
for Suicide Prevention. This modular, adaptable document will help educators
and school administrators implement comprehensive suicide prevention policies
in communities nationwide. Download our fact sheet and full policy today – by
adopting or advocating for this model policy in your school district, you can
help protect the health and safety of all students. </span><a href="http://www.thetrevorproject.org/pages/modelschoolpolicy"><span style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt;">http://www.thetrevorproject.org/pages/modelschoolpolicy</span></a><span style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<em><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-style: normal;">Office of Juvenile
Justice and Delinquency Prevention</span></b></em><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"> Releases Bulletin That Examines Suicidal
Thoughts and Behaviors Among Detained Youth<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">OJJDP
has released “<a href="http://ojjdp.gov/pubs/243891.pdf">Suicidal Thoughts and
Behaviors Among Detained Youth</a>.” The bulletin is part of OJJDP's <a href="http://www.ojjdp.gov/newsletter/240749/sf_2.html">Beyond Detention series</a>,
which examines the findings of the Northwestern Juvenile Project—a large-scale
longitudinal study of youth detained at the Cook County Juvenile Temporary
Detention Center in Chicago, IL. This bulletin summarizes the study’s methods,
findings, and implications of suicidal thoughts and behaviors among detained
youth ages 10–18. The authors examined rates of suicidal ideation and
behaviors, the relationship between suicide attempts and psychiatric disorders,
and differences by gender and race/ethnicity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Sharing Our Wisdom: A New Resource for AI/AN
Communities<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Sharing Our Wisdom is a new web-based resource that
presents stories of projects that promote resilience and prevent suicide in American
Indian/Alaskan Native communities. The first story in this series is from a
rural area of Alaska.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><a href="http://www.sprc.org/aian/sharing-our-wisdom">http://www.sprc.org/aian/sharing-our-wisdom</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Suicide Prevention Resources for Adult Corrections<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">SPRC’s The Role of Adult Corrections Officers in
Preventing Suicide and Suicide Prevention Resources for Adult Corrections
provide information and resources to help staff in adult corrections facilities
prevent suicides.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/CorrectionOfficers.pdf">http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/CorrectionOfficers.pdf</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">Suicide
Reporting and Mass Media<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Suicide is a significant
psychiatric and public health problem. It is not surprising that there is some
influence of the media on people’s thoughts and behaviors. Although it is
unrealistic to censor all potentially negative depictions of suicide in the
media, it is important to consider our responsibility to patients and the
health of the general population using our understanding of the role of the
media and potential interventions. The purpose of the present article is to
review the evidence regarding the relationship between suicide and its
depiction in mass media.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><a href="http://journals.psychiatryonline.org/data/Journals/AJP/930274/ajp_171_6_ResidentsJournal_June2014.pdf"><b><span style="color: #0000cc;">Click here to read the study (on page 9) of the
publication from the</span></b><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="color: #0000cc; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"> </span></b></span><em><b><span style="color: #0000cc; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">American Journal of Psychiatry</span></b></em></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">New Study: LGBT Youth More
Likely than Heterosexual Youth to Attempt Suicide <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt;">Based on
Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Surveys (YRBSs)</span> a new study examined <span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">rates of serious suicide attempts requiring medical
attention; results indicated that suicide attempt rates were much higher in
sexual minority than heterosexual youth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/press/press-releases/21-july-2014/">http://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/press/press-releases/21-july-2014/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
christyscrisishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00894785707996079410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663364252162581140.post-70965234882523599812014-08-13T10:49:00.003-04:002014-08-13T10:49:25.560-04:00"Talking about Suicide and Robin Williams"<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #141412; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<i>This blog post is reprinted with permission from Hollis Easter. Please read more of Hollis' articles about mental health and suicide at <a href="http://www.holliseaster.com/">http://www.holliseaster.com/</a></i></div>
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Robin Williams died today, at 63. The Marin County Sheriff’s department released <a href="http://cbssanfran.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/robinwilliams.pdf" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #bc360a; text-decoration: none;">a press statement saying they suspect it of being suicide by asphyxiation</a>, and there’s other news on <a href="http://www.marinsheriff.org/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #bc360a; text-decoration: none;">their site</a>.</div>
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There will be a media frenzy about this for the next little while, and a lot of people are going to be talking about it. I want to help people talk about it in a way that’s as respectful and safe as possible for vulnerable people, so here are a few thoughts and requests.</div>
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Be respectful about thoughts of suicide</h2>
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Wherever you are, there are people near you who are struggling with their own thoughts of suicide. Some of them are going to feel strongly affected by Williams’s death, and the research shows that a small subset of that group will find that this news pushes their own thoughts of suicide into the forefront.</div>
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Please be careful how you talk about what happened with Robin Williams, because these folks will hear your words and may apply them to their own situations. Do you feel that he was a sick or weak person because he had these thoughts? How would that thought sound to these other folks? Did he “lose his battle” by acting on his thoughts of suicide? Be aware that, in the ears of a vulnerable person, you may be calling them weak too.</div>
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In particular, <a href="http://www.holliseaster.com/p/suicide-permanent-solution-temporary-problem-isnt-helpful/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #bc360a; text-decoration: none;" title="Why “suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem” isn’t helpful">please don’t call suicide a “permanent solution to a temporary problem”</a>. Whether or not the problems really are temporary, it doesn’t help the person at risk to have their troubles minimized—it just paints us as being out of touch. <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">You</em> don’t actually need to do that much talking about suicide itself;<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"> instead, get the person talking about what they’re feeling and why they’re considering suicide.</strong> It’s fine to help them see that these feelings may not last forever—but <a href="http://www.holliseaster.com/p/suicide-permanent-solution-temporary-problem-isnt-helpful/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #bc360a; text-decoration: none;" title="Why “suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem” isn’t helpful">the “permanent solution” language is really toxic for a lot of people</a>. Leave the labels behind and get the person talking.</div>
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Research suggests that about 5% of people (1 in 20) report thinking about suicide in any given year. That makes having thoughts of suicide seem pretty <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">normal</em>, but only a small group of people will act on those thoughts. If you look around, you will see people who are fighting—and winning—their own battle with suicide every day. Be respectful about how you talk about the issue.</div>
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People who’ve never struggled with suicide often seem to think that considering suicide is a choice. That, if only they knew how stupid it was to consider suicide, people would just stop thinking about it. I’ve worked on a suicide hotline for the last 15 years. <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Believe me when I say that most of the suicidal people I’ve talked to would have given anything to be able to make those thoughts go away.</strong> Be kind.</div>
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If you’re a person who has thoughts of suicide and the news about Williams is pushing your buttons, please reach out for help. If you live anywhere in the USA, you can dial 1-800-273-TALK and get the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which is free and confidential and open 24/7.</div>
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Talk directly about suicide</h2>
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It’s okay to use the words. Suicide. Killing yourself. Wanting to die.</div>
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We don’t need to be afraid of the words, and using clear language helps us communicate better. There’s no evidence to suggest that talking directly about suicide hurts vulnerable people, and there’s a lot of it showing that direct talk helps to reduce stigma and help vulnerable folks feel like they can talk openly about how they’re struggling.</div>
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“Committed suicide” isn’t great because it feels pretty judgmental (we commit sins). “Lost his battle” feels like it’s labeling him as weak.</div>
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So use the other words. It looks like Robin Williams died by suicide, may have killed himself, may have taken his own life. It’s okay to use the words. If you want to know more about the terms we use in the suicide intervention world, <a href="http://www.holliseaster.com/p/suicide-related-terminology/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #bc360a; text-decoration: none;" title="Suicide-related Terminology">check out my guide</a> and <a href="http://www.holliseaster.com/p/start-with-the-feelings/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #bc360a; text-decoration: none;" title="Start With The Feelings: A Guide for Customer Service and Support">my other guide</a>.</div>
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Remember the whole person</h2>
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Williams’s wife has asked that we remember Robin Williams primarily by honoring the man he was, not merely by examining the way he died.</div>
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He lived a life that meant a lot to us. He was a brilliant comedian whose imitations inspired me as a child, whose ability to improvise staggers me with its breadth and clarity. He knew timing. He did good work and helped us to look at some important, difficult things in life, and he helped us do it with a twinkle in our eyes. Turns out that he was also struggling with depression, possibly bipolar disorder, and thoughts of suicide.</div>
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It’s important to talk openly and honestly about suicide, and to grieve for the loss we feel. We feel hurt by his death, and feel that he was taken from us too soon. That’s real, and that’s fine to talk about. But let’s refrain from making Williams a caricature of his own life. Suicide was a part of it, sure, but let’s not reinvent his whole life in this context.</div>
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Avoid assumptions about Williams’s treatment history</h2>
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A lot of the initial stories have focused on Williams’s alleged history of struggling with bipolar disorder, and I’ve read a ton of Facebook statuses and tweets saying “if only he could have gotten treatment” or “I wish he’d known there was help available”.</div>
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This is well-intentioned but not really that helpful. We don’t know whether Williams was receiving treatment or not, but the sad truth is that treatment doesn’t always work. Medicine is imperfect. People react to different drugs and therapies differently, and there’s no magic solution out there. The field of psychiatry is getting better at treating bipolar disorder, and there’s a lot of reason to be hopeful, but it’s not anywhere close to 100% yet.</div>
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Remember, most people with thoughts of suicide want to stop having them. If treatment were easy and fully effective in all cases, don’t you think most people would have taken that option already?</div>
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If it helps you to understand why this sort of statement is unhelpful, imagine that Williams had died of cancer. Would it feel useful to say “oh, if only he’d known that treatment was available!” or “he should have fought harder”?</div>
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Would it help his family to hear that people made those assumptions about how easily Williams could have gotten better? Remember that the survivors of suicide loss are all around us, too.</div>
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Do encourage people to seek help</h2>
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For a lot of people, talking about their thoughts of suicide helps them to go away. Some people need the help of a trained professional, and some people need drug treatment or hospitalization. But a lot of people just need a caring person to listen. If someone starts telling you about their own thoughts of suicide in the aftermath of this, <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">stay present and listen</strong>.</div>
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<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Ask them why they’re feeling that way. Let them talk about the reasons for it.</strong> <a href="http://www.holliseaster.com/p/start-with-the-feelings/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #bc360a; text-decoration: none;" title="Start With The Feelings: A Guide for Customer Service and Support">Start with the feelings</a>. Don’t try to shove reasons for living down their throats—they won’t be able to breathe. They know there’s stuff worth living for; let them talk about the reasons they’re thinking about dying.</div>
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And encourage them to keep talking, to you and to others. As I said above, invite people to talk to the NSPL at 1-800-273-TALK or call a crisis line or reach out to other caregivers.</div>
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Avoid assuming it’s suicide</h2>
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We know that Robin Williams has died, and the coroner has preliminarily ruled it a suicide. That said, we still don’t know for sure—they’ve also said that the investigation continues and there will be a press conference tomorrow. There can be benign (non-suicidal) reasons for a person dying by asphyxia at home. Let’s do our best to refrain from contributing to the frenzy about suicide until the professionals have reached their conclusions. Actually, let’s do our best to hold back the frenzy even afterwards.</div>
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Talk about suicide and mental health</h2>
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This is a big one. This is what we need to be doing if we want to prevent deaths by suicide in the long term. There remains a huge amount of social stigma around thoughts of suicide and mental health concerns in general, and it’s still hard for people to get help.</div>
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Tons of our hotline callers tell us they feel they can’t talk to their doctors or families about the way they’re feeling because they fear people won’t understand, will judge them, will label them, will lock them up, or simply won’t listen. <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">We can and should do better.</strong></div>
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So let’s talk about it, and not just in the gossip-ridden aftermath of a celebrity’s death. Let’s talk about expanding access to health care for all citizens, and then let’s make sure that we train health care workers about mental health AND build systems that give them enough patient contact time to have these crucial conversations.</div>
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Let’s make it easier to get access to mental health care, and let’s fund agencies that do the work. Let’s have the hard conversations about how we care for people who struggle with suicide in our communities, and let’s actively seek the voices of the people who struggle so we don’t make too many assumptions about what would help.</div>
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There’s a whole group of professionals who’ve learned a lot about how suicide happens and what we can do to prevent it. I’m one of them. We’re doing our best to get the messages out, but we need help. Will you help us? Join a suicide awareness group or help out with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Talk to your legislators about securing funding for mental health and crisis organizations, and ask them to help make that funding a lasting priority. Talk to your family and friends about suicide, and let’s start treating it like a public health topic rather than a sin.</div>
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Most of all, let’s <a href="http://www.holliseaster.com/p/suicide-related-terminology/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #bc360a; text-decoration: none;" title="Suicide-related Terminology">keep talking</a>—and do it with respect and kindness in our hearts.</div>
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<em style="box-sizing: border-box;">(My background: I run a suicide hotline and served for years on the national governing board for crisis hotlines. I teach several different suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention curricula, and if you’d like more information, please ask. Remember that if you need to talk to someone about thoughts of suicide, there’s probably a crisis hotline near you. <b style="box-sizing: border-box;">1-800-273-TALK is a great starting point anywhere in the USA</b>.)</em></div>
christyscrisishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00894785707996079410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663364252162581140.post-22373129237411813482014-04-30T14:46:00.001-04:002014-04-30T14:46:17.867-04:00Mental Health First Aid Training<b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Mental Health First Aid Training (please forward)</span></b><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
Campus Suicide Prevention Center of Virginia, in partnership with the The
Planning Council and the Virginia Department of Health will sponsor the Mental
Health First Aid course on <b>July 1, 2014 in Norfolk, VA</b><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Mental Health First Aid</span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> (MHFA) teaches participants
the skills needed to identify and support those with mental illnesses and
substance use disorders. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">It is appropriate for all caregivers and natural helpers. </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">MHFA is an 8-hour, highly interactive course that:</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Provides
an overview of mental illness and substance use disorders,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Introduces
risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems, as well as their
impact on individuals,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Provides
an overview of common treatments. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Participants
who complete the course certify as “Mental Health First Aiders”; they learn the
skills and resources needed to help an individual in crisis connect with
appropriate care.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">To learn
more, go to: </span><a href="http://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/cs/"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">http://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/cs/</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Because of the generous support of the Virginia Department of
Health's Division of Injury and Violence Prevention, <i><u>this training will
be offered at no cost</u></i><u>;</u> the course is typically valued at
$250. All training materials will be provided; lunch will be "on
your own".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Space is limited to 25 participants per training. </span><b><u><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Because
of the demand for seats, please register only if you are able to attend the
full 8 hour course.</span></u></b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Online
registration is available at: </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><a href="http://campussuicidepreventionva.org/eventmentalhealth.php">http://campussuicidepreventionva.org/eventmentalhealth.php</a></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l7Pktjg3lio/U2FE5cf9K_I/AAAAAAAAAK8/PHf_4HwI21Q/s1600/algee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l7Pktjg3lio/U2FE5cf9K_I/AAAAAAAAAK8/PHf_4HwI21Q/s1600/algee.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />christyscrisishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00894785707996079410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663364252162581140.post-82898638582158852802013-10-16T11:06:00.003-04:002013-10-16T11:06:23.949-04:00Survivors of Suicide Loss Teleconference
<span style="color: navy; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12pt;">The Staunton Survivors of Suicide Loss Support Group will be
hosting this teleconference at Augusta Health on November 23, the Saturday
prior to Thanksgiving. This event provides emotional support for
survivors of suicide loss and information about resources for healing. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: navy; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12pt;">Attached is a flyer to distribute electronically, and also links to
a 2 minute trailer and a special preview of this year's program, that can be
used to introduce the event. Thank you for helping spread the word and we
would welcome you also to attend. We do a break out session after the
live conference, where attendees who have suffered a similar loss (loss of
child, spouse, friend, etc.) have group discussion, and have had great feedback
in previous years. This is our 5th annual teleconference!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 7pt;">
</span><b><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.afsp.org/news-events/in-the-news/join-us-for-afsp-s-15th-annual-international-survivors-of-suicide-day" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Trailer to promote the November 23 event</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> (2 minutes)</span></span></b><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 7pt;">
</span><b><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.afsp.org/survivorday" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Special Preview of this year’s program</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> (9 minutes)</span></span></b><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: navy; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
christyscrisishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00894785707996079410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663364252162581140.post-50620643579683431322013-06-05T14:35:00.004-04:002013-06-05T14:35:56.476-04:00Training Available in Central VA<strong>Intervention</strong><br />
<br />
<br />
ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) is suicide intervention training for professionals and others who would like to know how to do a successful intervention with someone identified as at risk for suicide. ASIST is a 2 day workshop recommended for counselors, administrators, and any others interested. Participants must attend both full days of the training. To register, visit the Mental Health America of Central Virginia website, www.mhacv.org, or contact Amy Hart at 434.847.9055 or ahart@mhacv.org. <br />
<br />
Thursday & Friday, June 20 & 21, 2013**<br />
<br />
Thursday & Friday, August 15 & 16, 2013*<br />
<br />
Thursday & Friday, December 12 & 13, 2013*<br />
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*Held at the Pearson Cancer Center, 1701 Thomson Dr., Lynchburg, VA from 8:30am to 4:30pm each day.<br />
<br />
**Held at the United Way Building, 1010 Miller Park Sq., Lynchburg, VA from 8:30am to 4:30pm each day. <br />
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<strong><u><span style="color: red;">Participants must attend both days. </span></u></strong><br />
<br />
<br /><br />
<strong>To learn more about how to host a training within your organization, please call Amy Hart at 434.847.9055.</strong><br />
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<strong>All training provided by the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Grant and the Virginia Department of Health and sponsored by Mental Health America of Central Virginia</strong>.<br />
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christyscrisishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00894785707996079410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663364252162581140.post-70740664620881913132013-06-05T14:32:00.003-04:002013-06-05T14:32:53.145-04:00Mental Health First Aid TrainingThe Campus Suicide Prevention Center of Virginia, in partnership with the Virginia Department of Health and the Planning Council will host the Mental Health First Aid training on <strong>July 8-9 , 2013</strong> in <strong>Norfolk, VA</strong><br />
<br />
<br />
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) teaches participants the skills needed to identify and support those with mental illnesses and substance use disorders. It is appropriate for primary care professionals, employers and business leaders, faith communities, school personnel and educators, state police and corrections officers, nursing home staff, mental health authorities, state policymakers, volunteers, young people, families and the general public. <br />
<br />
MHFA is a 12- hour, highly interactive course that:<br />
• Provides an overview of mental illness and substance use disorders,<br />
• Introduces risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems, as well as their impact on individuals,<br />
• Provides an overview of common treatments. <br />
<br />
Participants who complete the course certify as “Mental Health First Aiders”; they learn the skills and resources needed to help an individual in crisis connect with appropriate care.<br />
<br />
To learn more, go to:<a href="http://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/cs/" target="_blank"> http://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/cs/</a><br />
<br />
Because of the generous support of the Virginia Department of Health's Division of Injury and Violence Prevention, this training will be offered at no cost. MHFA is typically valued at $200. All training materials will be provided; meals will be "on your own".<br />
<br />
Space is limited to 30 participants per training. Because of the demand for seats, please register only if you are able to attend the full two days, and are not 'on-call' for other duties during that time.<br />
<br />
To register, go to: <a href="http://campussuicidepreventionva.org/eventmentalhealth.php">http://campussuicidepreventionva.org/eventmentalhealth.php</a><br />
christyscrisishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00894785707996079410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663364252162581140.post-14922927710942334842013-06-05T14:23:00.002-04:002013-06-05T14:23:20.335-04:00SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAINING FOR MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIANSMost mental health clinicians have had little or no formal training in assessing suicide risk, yet they are often called upon to do so. Recognizing and Responding to Suicide Risk: Essential Skills for Clinicians (RRSR) has been developed by the American Association of Suicidology specifically to fill this training gap. RRSR is an advanced, interactive training based on established core competencies that mental health professionals need in order to effectively assess and manage suicide risk in their patients. The program has several components, including a web-based assessment; two on-line, self-paced modules; a two-day face-to-face workshop; and post-workshop mentorship through on-line learning activities. <br />
<br />
RRSR is appropriate for any mental health clinician working with patients on an ongoing basis. Participants can include licensed private counselors, licensed clinical social workers, clinical psychologists, psychiatrists and psychiatric nurses, addiction counselors, licensed marriage and family therapists and pastoral counselors. <br />
<br />
Additional information about RRSR is available at <a href="http://www.suicidology.org/web/guest/education-and-training/rrsr">http://www.suicidology.org/web/guest/education-and-training/rrsr</a><br />
<br />
The Virginia Department of Health will host 3 RRSR trainings in 2013. This training is for all mental health clinicians, regardless of your place of work. Some of you may be familiar with another suicide prevention training offered, ASIST. Please refer to the attached document for an explanation as to who should attend ASIST and who should attend an RRSR training. <br />
<br />
Through a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) this training will be offered at no cost to 50 participants; the training is typically valued at $250 a participant. All training materials will be provided. <br />
<br />
The training will be from 8:30-4:45 both days. One hour will be given for lunch; meals will be "on your own". <br />
<br />
Because of the demand for seats, please register only if you are able to attend the full two days, and are not 'on-call' for other duties during that time.<br />
<br />
<strong><u><em>2013 Training Dates, Locations, and Registration:</em></u></strong><br />
<br />
<strong>July 16-17, 2013</strong><br />
Martinsville, VA<br />
<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RRSRMartinsvilleJuly2013">https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RRSRMartinsvilleJuly2013</a><br />
<br />
<strong>July 23-24, 2013 </strong><br />
Hampton, VA <br />
<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RRSRHamptonJuly2013">https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RRSRHamptonJuly2013</a><br />
<br />
<strong>July 30-31, 2013</strong><br />
Harrisonburg, VA<br />
<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RRSRHarrisonburgJuly2013">https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RRSRHarrisonburgJuly2013</a><br />
<br />
christyscrisishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00894785707996079410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663364252162581140.post-43077357992949230602013-04-22T13:44:00.000-04:002013-04-22T13:44:02.254-04:00Out of the Darkness Community Walk: HarrisonburgPlease join us for . . . .<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: blue;">The 3rd annual AFSP Out of the Darkness Campus Walk</span></strong><br />
<br />
Hosted by Chi Sigma Iota Honor Society<br />
<strong><u>Sunday April 21st, 2013</u></strong><br />
Check-in/Registration 11:30 AM & Welcome Ceremony 12 noon<br />
Festival Conference & Student Center<br />
Harrisonburg, Virginia<br />
<br />
To register, please click on the following link: <br />
<br />
<a href="http://afsp.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=2241">http://afsp.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=2241</a><br />
<br />
This year's walk will again be held on the JMU campus. It will be a great opportunity for us to come together as a community to help increase awareness of suicide risks and warning sings, help people connect to vital resources that can increase their wellbeing, and honor those who have lost loved ones to suicide. Monies donated to AFSP go to help support their suicide prevention programs, support services for survivors of suicide loss, and vital research in the area of suicide prevention and suicide. <br />
<br />
We will be looking for volunteers for the following positions: registration, set up, clean up, resource tables, advertising, EMTs/Nurses, and many other positions. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Janice Lewis at lewis2jc@dukes.jmu.edu or contact Sharon Lockaby at locabsd@dukes.jmu.edu. <br />
<br />
We hope you will join us in our efforts to help raise awareness and support our community. <br />
<br />
christyscrisishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00894785707996079410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663364252162581140.post-67502721783520369192013-04-22T13:16:00.003-04:002013-04-22T13:16:58.013-04:00New Report: Elder Suicide in VirginiaGreetings,<br />
<br />
<br />
On behalf of Dr. William T. Gormley, Acting Chief Medical Examiner for the Commonwealth of Virginia, we are pleased to present a new report from the Virginia Violent Death Reporting System called Elder Suicide in Virginia: 2003-2010. This report, which is an update to a previous report, examines suicide among Virginia residents 60 years of age and older. Highlights include:<br />
<ul>
<li>From 2003-2010 there were 1,595 elder suicide decedents in Virginia. </li>
<li>Elder males have a higher risk of suicide than non-elder males.</li>
<li>Elder suicide risk is highest in the southwest area and lowest in the northern area.</li>
<li>While most elders use a firearm in the fatal suicide, those that used poisons commonly used their own prescription medications. </li>
<li>Mental health problems and physical health problems were the two most common factors in elder suicide. </li>
</ul>
This report is available at: <a href="http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/medExam/documents/2013/pdf/Elder%20Suicide%20in%20Virginia%202003%202010.pdf">http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/medExam/documents/2013/pdf/Elder%20Suicide%20in%20Virginia%202003%202010.pdf</a><br />
<br />
(Marc Leslie, <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">VVDRS Coordinator)</span><br />
<br />
christyscrisishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00894785707996079410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663364252162581140.post-74894479904636678242013-04-22T13:01:00.003-04:002013-04-22T13:01:38.380-04:00ASIST: Suicide "First Aid" TrainingThe Campus Suicide Prevention Center of Virginia, in partnership with the Virginia Department of Health, will host the Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) program on the following dates.<br />
<br />
ASIST is the most widely used intervention skills training in the US. It is a two-day intensive, interactive and practice-dominated course designed to help caregivers recognize risk for suicide, intervene to prevent immediate harm and link persons at risk to the next level of care. <br />
<br />
Just as “CPR” skills make physical first aid possible, ASIST teaches the skills used in suicide prevention first aid.<br />
<br />
ASIST is often used by people in a variety of school and community ‘gatekeeper’ or “front line” positions. It is for all caregivers (any person in a position of trust, regardless of the age group served). It is suitable for all school-based student support staff, agency case workers, church youth workers, police/correctional/juvenile justice staff and foster care staff, clergy and all 'natural helpers' who work in the field of human service.<br />
<br />
ASIST has been more recently used by ‘gatekeepers’ on college and university campuses. Participants often include advisory and academic counselors, case managers, campus police/security, residence hall directors, campus ministry staff and anyone else who provides direct service to others within the campus community.<br />
<br />
Because of the generous support of the Virginia Department of Health's Division of Injury and Violence Prevention, these training will be offered at no cost to participants who work in Virginia, regardless of the age group served. ASIST is typically valued at $250. All training materials will be provided. Meals will be "on your own".<br />
<br />
Space is limited to 30 participants per training. Because of the demand for seats, please register only if you are able to attend the full two days, and are not 'on-call' for other duties during that time.<br />
<br />
All participants will receive documentation for 14 hours of instruction. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for licensure are available upon request.<br />
<br />
<strong>2013 Virginia ASIST Trainings*:</strong><br />
<br />
May 8-9 at Averett University, Danville, <br />
May 21-22 at Virginia State University, Petersburg<br />
May 21-22 at George Mason University, Fairfax<br />
July 17-18 at Christopher Newport University, Newport News<br />
August 20-21 at James Madison University, Harrisonburg<br />
Sept. 19-20 at Southside Virginia Community College, Keysville<br />
Oct. 10-11 at Germanna Community College, Culpepper<br />
Dec. 5-6 at Dabney S. Lancaster Community College, Buena Vista<br />
<br />
Registration is on-line at: <br />
<br />
<a href="http://campussuicidepreventionva.org/eventasist.php">http://campussuicidepreventionva.org/eventasist.php</a><br />
<br />
christyscrisishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00894785707996079410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663364252162581140.post-38375573653870546272012-10-23T11:13:00.002-04:002012-10-23T11:13:38.168-04:00Suicide among Virginia Active Duty and Veterans<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On behalf of Dr. Leah Bush, Chief Medical Examiner for the Commonwealth of Virginia, we are pleased to present a new report from the Virginia Violent Death Reporting System called <em>Military-Related Suicide in Virginia: 2003-2010</em>. This report examines suicide among active duty military members and military veterans in Virginia. Highlights of this report include:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From 2003-2010 there were 1,647 suicide decedents in Virginia who were active duty military members or military veterans. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Estimates of suicide rates suggest that male active duty military members and veterans ages 18-29 have a 2.8 times increase in suicide risk as compared to similarly aged civilian males.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Active duty military members less often gave clear warning signs to friends and family that they were at risk for suicide than did civilians. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Military members had a number of protective factors in place including education, marriage, and employment, but were still at increased risk for suicide. </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This report is available at: <a href="http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/medExam/NVDRS.htm#reports">http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/medExam/NVDRS.htm#reports</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<em>From Marc Leslie</em><br />
<br />
christyscrisishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00894785707996079410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663364252162581140.post-79798091768513729462012-10-23T10:55:00.001-04:002012-10-23T10:55:07.674-04:00National Survivors of Suicide Day<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-41Cj-wo_7Ck/UIarAbn2JcI/AAAAAAAAAJI/rEfKRPKByro/s1600/afsp+survivor+confernce+flier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" oea="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-41Cj-wo_7Ck/UIarAbn2JcI/AAAAAAAAAJI/rEfKRPKByro/s320/afsp+survivor+confernce+flier.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
November 17, 2013</div>
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
Teleconference dedicated to those who have lost a loved one to suicide. This annual event may also be beneficial to anyone who comes in contact with a suicide. For more details of what the Teleconference is about, you can find additional info at <a href="http://www.afsp.org/">www.afsp.org</a> . The outline of the day is as follows:</div>
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12:30 - 1:00 pm Registration</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
1:00 - 2:30 pm Viewing of Teleconference</div>
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<br /></div>
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2:30 - 3:00 pm Discussion</div>
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This is the fifth year that the Staunton Survivors of Suicide Loss Support Group is hosting this event. Please come show your support. Refreshments will be served so I ask that you RSVP no later than Nov. 10 Thanks much and I look forward to seeing you all at the Teleconference!!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
Sean McGowan</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
540-241-2320 </div>
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christyscrisishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00894785707996079410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663364252162581140.post-35015658478935535712012-10-23T10:08:00.003-04:002012-10-23T10:08:55.974-04:00Recognizing and Responding to Students in Distress<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are pleased to announce the release of </span><a href="http://www.campussuicidepreventionva.org/facultyhandbook/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recognizing and Responding to Students in Distress: A Faculty Handbook.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> This is a free resource to all Virginia colleges and universities and we invite you to consider how you might use this on your own campus. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The handbook was created in two formats. The above link takes you to an E-Book version. You may want to send this out to faculty or post it on a faculty resource website. We suggest that you post it alongside a list of your own campus and community mental health services.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A limited number of hard copies are available, at no cost, to interested campuses. We will distribute them on the basis of the number of requests we get, so if you are interested, it would be best to contact me soon. The hard copy has a pocket in the inside cover to hold a list of your campus and community resources. </span><br />
<br />
From Jane Wiggins, Ph.D.christyscrisishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00894785707996079410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663364252162581140.post-61415228452860539352012-07-26T10:27:00.002-04:002012-07-26T10:27:55.125-04:00NSPL Partners with the NFLToday, in partnership with the National Football League (NFL), Link2Health Solutions (L2H) is launching the NFL Life Line, a 24/7 helpline for members of the “NFL family” to assist them when they are in emotional distress. The NFL Life Line is the newest component of the NFL Total Wellness initiative, which builds upon current NFL programs and services that help members of the NFL family deal with pressing matters such as physical and mental health, family safety, lifestyle and post-career life. Service provision for the new NFL Life Line is targeted towards current and former players, NFL staff, and family members and will be provided by two Lifeline crisis centers: LifeNet in NYC and Centerstone in Nashville, TN. More information about the service can be found at <a href="http://www.nfllifeline.org/">http://www.nfllifeline.org/</a>. <br />
<br />
<br />
How did the NFL Life Line come about?<br />
<br />
Soon after the May 2012 suicide death of Junior Seau, a popular and highly talented retired player who spent the majority of his career with the San Diego Chargers, the NFL reached out to consult with a group of experts in suicide prevention. They spoke with key representatives from the National Action Alliance, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the National Institute of Mental Health, SAMHSA, the Jed Foundation, and our organization, among others. We learned a lot from the NFL about ways in which their community could receive more support. While our discussion looked at the health and mental health needs of the entire league and player community, a particular focus on the needs of retired players was evident.<br />
<br />
While the media has given much attention to concussion-related issues in the lives of former players and family members, other transition and adjustment stressors commonly loom large in their lives. Issues such as changes in their financial status, changes in their social supports (loss of the “locker room culture” and how significant others regard them), changes in their sense of identity (“I am a football player”), and a need for developing new skills to adapt to careers beyond playing football routinely challenge many players in the months and years after leaving the game. <br />
<br />
Today, we are launching the service with two Lifeline crisis centers (Centerstone and LifeNet) responding to calls. Within the next 3 months, the NFL Life Line service will incorporate a 24/7 online chat service as well as a self-check quiz, consistent with the instrument adapted by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention for the Veterans Crisis Line service on the <a href="http://www.veteranscrisisline.net/">http://www.veteranscrisisline.net/</a> site. The launch of this service today is a tremendous moment for further recognizing the central suicide prevention role of crisis centers in America.<br />
<br />
Above all, this program could potentially have a major impact on national public health efforts to prevent suicide. The NFL turned to our suicide prevention community for help preventing suicide and building a more robust support network for their players, former players, league staff and family members towards “total wellness.” However, it is clear to all of us that the problem of suicide, limited help-seeking among men, and the need to establish more workplace models for mental wellness are all issues that are culturally and geographically boundless. The VA led the way to helping the world see the need that “tough guys need help, too,” and now the NFL will have an opportunity to help us drive this message deeper and wider into our culture.<br />
<br />
(From John Draper, Director of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline)<br />
<br />christyscrisishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00894785707996079410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663364252162581140.post-47162656856508385242012-04-27T09:41:00.000-04:002012-04-27T09:41:26.919-04:00Touching article in The Virginian PilotI am reminded of the work still to be done to keep people safe from suicide.<br />
<br />
to view the article and video click here: <a href="http://hamptonroads.com/2012/04/we-knew-he-had-demons-war-veterans-mom-says">http://hamptonroads.com/2012/04/we-knew-he-had-demons-war-veterans-mom-says</a><br />
By Kate Wiltrout<br />
<br />
The Virginian-Pilot<br />
<br />
© April 20, 2012 <br />
<br />
Jonathan Bartlett, an Iraq war veteran and double amputee who was featured in numerous Virginian-Pilot stories as he recovered from his injuries, died Tuesday at his home in Chesapeake. He was 27.<br />
<br />
Family members said he killed himself.<br />
<br />
On Sept. 25, 2004, Bartlett was a 19-year-old Army infantryman at the wheel of a Humvee outside Fallujah when it hit a homemade bomb. He lost one leg in the blast; the other was amputated soon after.<br />
<br />
He spent 13 months recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, where he learned to walk on prosthetic legs and amused nurses, therapists and visitors with his salty language and black humor. He liked to wear T-shirts referencing the stumps of his legs. One read: "I was golfing. I found the alligator." Another admonished: "Tell your children not to stare, or the bogeyman will take their legs, too."<br />
<br />
A graduate of Maury High School, Bartlett returned to Norfolk in 2005 and enrolled at Old Dominion. He eventually moved into a wheelchair-accessible home in Deep Creek purchased with the aid of a veterans organization.<br />
<br />
In 2007, Bartlett was one of 10 servicemembers featured in an HBO documentary called "Alive Day Memories: Home from Iraq."<br />
<br />
He graduated in 2011 and got a job with the federal government, working in human resources at Norfolk Naval Station.<br />
<br />
Bartlett was outspoken and opinionated, with a flair for the dramatic; he'd regularly post manifestos about politics, religion and government on Facebook, and link to essays and articles that invariably made him mad.<br />
<br />
His mother, Esther Bartlett of Norfolk, said she saw him a few times in the past week and Jon seemed his usual cocky self.<br />
<br />
"We knew he had demons," she said. "He brought probably more than a few of them back from Iraq with him. We thought he had at least made some kind of peace with them."<br />
<br />
A friend, Jumaria Copeland, said Bartlett helped her get through tough times, whether she was struggling emotionally or financially.<br />
<br />
"I remember being so flat broke, and he would hand me a $20. He'd say, 'I know it's not much, but it will put gas in your tank.' "<br />
<br />
He pushed her not to give up her dream of becoming a criminal psychologist, she said, prodding her to stop thinking about it and start doing something to achieve her goal.<br />
<br />She remembers him as wickedly funny and verbally talented, but said she most values the inspiration he provided to rise above minor annoyances and focus on what was most important.<br />
<br />
"Here he is, he lost his legs, he barely survived all of this, and through everything he still had a smile on his face, and he was still willing to help people," Copeland said.<br />
<br />
Bartlett insisted he was not a hero. It made him uncomfortable when people thanked him for his "sacrifice."<br />
<br />
"You know what sacrifice is?" he said in a Virginian-Pilot video in 2008. "Throwing yourself on top of a grenade to save your buddies, grabbing a kid out of the street at the expense of your life or limb - that's a sacrifice, because you didn't have to do it, but you did it anyway. I got hit by a bomb. I'm a casualty."<br />
<br />
Perhaps the thing Bartlett missed most about losing his legs was being able to run. He ran track at Maury, he ran in Army training, he ran as a means of coping with life.<br />
<br />
"If you run fast enough, and you don't look at your legs, you can almost fly," he said. "It's very peaceful."<br />
<br />
Bartlett's funeral will be at 3:15 p.m. Tuesday at the Albert G. Horton Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery in Suffolk. In lieu of flowers, his family asks that donations be made in Jon's memory to the Wounded Warrior Project.<br />
<br />
Kate Wiltrout, 757-446-2629, <a href="mailto:kate.wiltrout@pilotonline.com">kate.wiltrout@pilotonline.com</a><br />
<br />christyscrisishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00894785707996079410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663364252162581140.post-81233268945210083302012-04-09T11:14:00.002-04:002012-04-09T11:14:26.453-04:00Survivor Voices<strong>Survivor Voices: A Public Speaking Training for Virginia Survivors of Suicide</strong><br />
<br />
The Virginia Department of Health will be offering a series of two day trainings for survivors of suicide loss who are interested in learning how to tell their story safely to friends, various audiences, and the media. Suicide survivors (those who have lost a loved one to suicide) play an important role in increasing awareness about suicide. By speaking about their personal loss and telling the story about their loved one’s life and death, survivors can promote healing and understanding, which in turn supports and encourages suicide prevention efforts. Suicide is a very complex issue and a great deal of research has been done about how to talk about suicide in a safe manner and in a way that will not increase the risk for those who may be vulnerable. This two-day training assists speakers in honing a message that tells their story in a safe and effective manner.<br />
<br />
Survivors who complete the training are certainly not required to tell their story publicly after the training, but most do go on to speak at local suicide prevention conferences and local venues such as rotary, their church, legislative committees, etc. The training was developed by NAMI NH and is part of their Connect Suicide Prevention Project, which is listed on the Suicide Prevention Resource Center’s Best Practice Registry. <br />
<br />
It is suggested that survivors be at least two years from their loss before attending; however, some survivors are ready earlier and should feel free to talk with us if you would like to attend.<br />
<br />
The training is conducted over the course of two days and you will be asked to commit to both training days. The first day of the training will focus on the basics of public speaking, issues to be aware of around speaking about suicide, safe messaging, honing your message for particular audiences/media, and composing your personal story. The second day of the training will give you an opportunity to share your presentation, evaluate yourself, get feedback from the group, discuss how to be responsive to your audience, and review possible responses to difficult questions. There will be a homework assignment for the night of day one. <br />
<br />
The training is free of charge to participants and is made possible through funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><u>Each training is limited to 8 participants.</u></span> Information on training dates, location and registration can be found below: <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: black;">May 21-22, 2012 – Chesterfield, Virginia</span></strong><br />
Featherstone Professional Center<br />
Suite 108<br />
1807 Huguenot Road<br />
Midlothian, VA 23113<br />
<br />
Register: <a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SurvivorVoicesRichmond">http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SurvivorVoicesRichmond</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>June 20-21, 2012 – Abingdon, Virginia</strong><br />
Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center<br />
One Partnership Circle <br />
Abingdon, Virginia 24212<br />
<br />
Register: <a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SurvivorVoicesAbingdon">http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SurvivorVoicesAbingdon</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>July 18-19, 2012 - Roanoke, Virginia</strong><br />
Blue Ridge Behavioral Health<br />
3517 Brandon Ave<br />
Roanoke, VA 24018<br />
Register: <a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SurvivorVoicesRoanoke">http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SurvivorVoicesRoanoke</a><br />
<br />christyscrisishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00894785707996079410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663364252162581140.post-66979187263085044822012-03-29T15:04:00.001-04:002012-03-29T15:06:05.028-04:00Suicide and Suicide Prevention on College Campuses in VirginiaIt is difficult to determine how many college students die each year by suicide. “Student” status can be hard to define and is not typically recorded by a coroner or medical examiner following a death.<br /><br />The BAD NEWS: We do know that suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students and that more teenagers and young adults die by suicide than from all medical illnesses combined. It is estimated that we lose about 1,350 college students to suicide each year; roughly 3 young people per day.<br /><br />The GOOD NEWS: Statistics also tell us that 18-24 year olds who are in college are at HALF the risk of suicide compared to their non-student counterparts. That is, being part of a campus community is believed to have a protective effect. While we don’t have the full explanation for these findings, experts suggest that key factors may be reduced access to firearms, the greater availability of mental health care and richer connections to a supportive network. The continued study of suicide risk within campus communities may well teach us some strategies for preventing suicide among 18-24 year olds in non-campus settings.<br /><br />We also know that preventing suicide may also help to prevent violence of other kinds. Clearly, preventing suicide, suicidal thinking and suicidal behavior are a priority to those who work to create safe campus communities.<br /><br />Historically, the work of suicide prevention has been accomplished through a mental health model, in which those at risk for suicide receive intervention and follow-up services in a mental health care setting. While effective triage and crisis management will always be essential elements of a comprehensive plan, a public health model protects limited crisis management resources by expanding “upstream” prevention efforts.<br /><br />The Campus Suicide Prevention Center of Virginia works to reduce risk for suicide in Virginia’s college and university communities by helping campus leaders to:<br />· Promote mental health and emotional resilience for all students;<br />· Enhance strategies for early identification of mental health concerns;<br />· Encourage help-seeking among students;<br />· Provide options for those in need of support services; and<br />· Respond effectively to individuals who may be at risk for suicide.<br /><br />As the rest of the country moves to a broader, more proactive and comprehensive public health model for reducing suicide risk, college and university campus communities will too. One of our primary goals is to further that transition in higher education settings across Virginia.<br /><br />For more information, go to <a href="http://campussuicidepreventionva.org/">CampusSuicidePreventionVA.org</a> or contact Dr. Jane Wiggins at <a href="mailto:wigginjr@jmu.edu">wigginjr@jmu.edu</a><br /><br />Jane Wiggins, Ph.D. has been a school psychologist for the past 30 years. Her expertise is in working with institutions that serve youth, particularly K-12 and higher education settings. She is currently the director of the Campus Suicide Prevention Center of Virginia; a partnership between the Virginia Department of Health and the Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services at James Madison University. In that role, Jane provides resources, training, consultation in suicide prevention to colleges and universities across the Commonwealth of Virginia.christyscrisishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00894785707996079410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663364252162581140.post-20190692958013302532012-02-22T16:22:00.002-05:002012-02-23T11:36:44.384-05:00SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAINING FOR MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIANSMost mental health clinicians have had little or no formal training in assessing suicide risk, yet they are often called upon to do so. Recognizing and Responding to Suicide Risk: Essential Skills for Clinicians (RRSR) has been developed by the American Association of Suicidology specifically to fill this training gap. RRSR is an advanced, interactive training based on established core competencies that mental health professionals need in order to effectively assess and manage suicide risk in their patients. The program has several components, including a web-based assessment; two on-line, self-paced modules; a two-day face-to-face workshop; and post-workshop mentorship through on-line learning activities.<br /><br />RRSR is appropriate for any mental health clinician working with patients on an ongoing basis. Participants can include licensed private counselors, licensed clinical social workers, clinical psychologists, psychiatrists and psychiatric nurses, addiction counselors, licensed marriage and family therapists and pastoral counselors.<br /><br />Additional information about RRSR is available at <a href="http://www.suicidology.org/web/guest/education-and-training/rrsr">http://www.suicidology.org/web/guest/education-and-training/rrsr</a><br />The Virginia Department of Health will host 5 RRSR trainings in 2012. This training is for all mental health clinicians, regardless of your place of work. Some of you may be familiar with another suicide prevention training offered, ASIST. Please refer to the attached document for an explanation as to who should attend an ASIST training and who should attend an RRSR training.<br /><br />Through a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) this training will be offered at no cost to 50 participants; the training is typically valued at $250 a participant. All training materials will be provided.<br /><br />The training will be from 8:30-4:45 both days. One hour will be given for lunch; meals will be "on your own".<br /><br />Because of the demand for seats, please register only if you are able to attend the full two days, and are not 'on-call' for other duties during that time.<br /><br />2012 Training Dates, Locations, and Registration:<br /><br />April 3-4, 2012<br />Richmond, VA<br /><a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RRSRRichmondApril2012">http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RRSRRichmondApril2012</a><br /><br />May 16-17, 2012<br />Middletown, VA (Winchester area)<br /><a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RRSRMiddletown2012">http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RRSRMiddletown2012</a><br /><br />June 19-20, 2012<br />Fredericksburg, VA<br /><a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RRSRFredericksburg2012">http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RRSRFredericksburg2012</a><br /><br />July 24-25, 2012<br />Roanoke, VA<br /><a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RRSRRoanoke2012">http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RRSRRoanoke2012</a><br /><br />October 10-11, 2012<br />Richmond, VA<br /><a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RRSRRichmondOct2012">http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RRSRRichmondOct2012</a><br /><br />If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at <a href="mailto:christina.benton@vdh.virginia.gov">christina.benton@vdh.virginia.gov</a>. Please feel free to share this training announcement with your colleagues.<br /><br />We look forward to seeing you at one of the trainings!christyscrisishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00894785707996079410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663364252162581140.post-28734759783932282542012-02-21T15:32:00.002-05:002012-02-21T15:35:12.866-05:00Veterans Crisis Line introduces Text MessagingWASHINGTON, Feb 15, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The Department of Veterans Affairs is expanding its efforts to prevent suicide through several new initiatives that increase the availability of services for Veterans, Servicemembers and their families.<br /><br />The new initiatives include a new, free, confidential text-messaging service in the existing Veterans Crisis Line, introduction of toll-free access from Europe, and collaboration with Vets Prevail and Vets4Warriors, two groups providing crisis help to Veterans, Servicemembers and their families.<br /><br />"Offering text messaging services will help VA reach more Veterans and their friends and families," said Dr. Janet Kemp, VA's national mental health director for suicide prevention. "We are working to meet their needs by communicating through multiple channels -- over the phone, through online chat, and now via text, which provides quick, easy access to support. VA wants all Veterans to know that confidential support is only a text message away."<br />Since its founding July 2007, VA's Veterans Crisis Line and the later Chat Service have received 500,000 calls and engaged in 31,000 chats resulting in over 18,000 rescues of Veterans in immediate crisis.<br /><br />Now, in addition to the Veterans Crisis Line (1-800-273-8255 and Press 1) and online chat ( <a href="http://www.veteranscrisisline.net/">www.VeteransCrisisLine.net</a> ), Veterans and Servicemembers in crisis--and their friends and families--may text free of charge to 83-8255 to receive confidential, personal and immediate support. The text service is available, like the Veterans Crisis Line and online chat, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year and connects a user with a specially trained VA professional -- many who are Veterans themselves.<br /><br />As a part of the effort to extend VA's reach, Veterans and members of the military community in Europe may now receive free, confidential support from the European Military Crisis Line, a new initiative recently launched by VA. Callers in Europe may dial 0800-1273-8255 or DSN 118 to receive confidential support from responders at the Veterans Crisis Line in the U.S.<br />VA's Veterans Crisis Line continues to add external resources to provide Veterans with additional support. Two of these organizations include Vets Prevail ( <a href="http://www.vetsprevail.org/">www.VetsPrevail.org</a> ) and Vets4Warriors ( <a href="http://www.vets4warriors.com/">www.Vets4Warriors.com</a> ).<br /><br />In December, Vets Prevail launched a chat service that connects Veterans to caring responders who provide information on a wide variety of resources. If the Veteran is in crisis or needs mental health support, the conversation is then seamlessly transferred to a VA Veterans Crisis Line responder.<br /><br />Vets4Warriors has helped thousands of their peers connect with confidential assistance through a free hotline (1-855-838-8255/1-855-VET-TALK) and online chat ( <a href="http://www.vets4warriors.com/">www.Vets4Warriors.com</a> ). If a Veteran is in need of professional crisis or mental health support, Vets4Warriors' responders will transfer the Veteran to a responder at the Veterans Crisis Line.<br /><br />For more information about VA's suicide prevention program, visit: <a href="http://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/suicide_prevention/">http://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/suicide_prevention/</a>christyscrisishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00894785707996079410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663364252162581140.post-32910567892694194962012-02-07T13:15:00.001-05:002012-02-07T13:18:05.052-05:00Walk for Hope and Out of the Darkness in HarrisonburgThe Walk For Hope is scheduled for <strong>Saturday March 31st</strong> in downtown Harrisonburg. This is a risk reduction event targeted towards college students.<br /><br /><br />On <strong>Sunday April 22nd</strong> Chi Sigma Iota will host its second annual AFPS Out of the Darkness Campus Walk. This walk will be held on the James Madison University Campus. Registration will be held in Highlands Room of the Festival Conference and Student Center starting at noon. We are currently spreading the word, starting our fundraising campaign, and looking for volunteers. If anyone is interested in registering they can go to our walk website: <a href="http://afsp.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.eventDetails&eventID=1705">http://afsp.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.eventDetails&eventID=1705</a>.christyscrisishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00894785707996079410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663364252162581140.post-69263728475580923882012-02-06T09:53:00.001-05:002012-02-06T09:54:48.177-05:00Save the DateCoalition conference call is scheduled for March 12th at 2pm. Please contact Christy Letsom at <a href="mailto:cletsom@theplanningcouncil.org">cletsom@theplanningcouncil.org</a> for more information. <br /><br />We will share state and regional updates and discuss needs of the coalitions and future projects. I look forward to talking with you all.christyscrisishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00894785707996079410noreply@blogger.com0