Have YOU Registered???

Don't forget to register for the Virginia Stakeholders Meeting September 30, 2009. It will be a great opportunity to connect with others who are actively working to prevent and intervene at a time of suicidal crisis. You can register at www.thepreventsuicidetpc.org. Look for the blue box on the opening page. Look forward to seeing you all there!!!

Stakeholders Meeting!!!!

On September 30, 2009, there will be a meeting in Richmond hosted by Virginia Department of Health gathering the Suicide Prevention Stakeholders in the Commonwealth. Please SAVE THE DATE. More information will follow regarding the meeting but early registration is most appreciated. You can register for the meeting by following the link at www.preventsuicidetpc.org. Please forward this information to anyone working in suicide prevention in the state.

SAVE THE DATE!

2009 Suicide Prevention Stakeholders Meeting
September 30, 2009
Richmond, Virginia
Location to be Announced

Sponsored by: The Division of Injury and Violence Prevention, Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Suicide Prevention Coalition

Topics include:
Suicide in Virginia: An update from the Virginia Violent Death Reporting System (VVDRS)
Comprehensive Approach to Suicide Prevention
Incorporating Cultural Competency into Suicide Prevention
Suicide Prevention Training Occurring in Virginia
Importance of Training with Fidelity

Please register early at www.preventsuicidetpc.org

Creating a Directory

In collaboration with the Department of Health, I am attempting to create a statewide suicide prention stakeholders directory. I know that there are many out there interested in being a part of this directory, but I don't know who you all are. Please contact me if you are part of an SOS group, a local coalition, researcher or any group that should be a part of this directory. You can email me directly at cletsom@theplanningcouncil.org.

Suicide Gene?

National Institute of Mental Health
A new study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health found a strong association between stressful life events and the development of major depression, but did not support the role of a particular gene variation previously thought to increase risk. A 2003 study had reported an increased risk for major depression among people with a particular gene variation who were exposed to a number of stressful life events over a five-year period. The new meta-analysis examined 14 studies that attempted to replicate the results of the 2003 study and found no association between the gene variant and major depression (alone or in conjunction with stressful life events) in any of the studies analyzed.

More information can be found at www.sprc.org
.....from Weekly SPARK

Pioneer in Suicide Prevention Dies

Edwin S. Shneidman, a pioneer in the field of suicide prevention and a prolific thinker and writer who believed that life is enriched by contemplation of death and dying, has died. He was 91.

Shneidman, one of the founders of the Los Angeles Suicide Prevention Center, believed that two simple questions -- "Where do you hurt?" and "How may I help you?" -- could begin to unlock the suicidal impulse.

Shneidman, along with Norman Farberow and Robert Litman, established the center in an abandoned tuberculosis hospital on the grounds of Los Angeles County Hospital in 1958. Staff members offered counseling and support over the phone to the depressed and suicidal. It represented a radical idea in mental health care in America.
...excerpted from LA Times.

Military and Veterans' Mental Health and Suicide Prevention

New Resources Available on Military and Veterans' Mental Health and Suicide Prevention
• TRICARE Management Activity (TMA) has recently published A TRICARE Guide: Understanding Behavioral Health. The guide is an important tool to reduce the stigma associated with getting help for behavioral and mental health issues.
• The Army has developed a campaign plan for health promotion, risk reduction and suicide prevention.
• The Iraq and Afghanistan Veteran's Association (IAVA) has created a website to support military families and friends in identifying warning signs in their loved ones and to provide tips on how to engage in conversations about mental health and seeking help.
To learn more got to SPAN USA.
..from E-News, SPAN USA

AFSP/SPAN Merger Complete

SPAN USA, as a division of AFSP, will spearhead the foundation's advocacy and public policy initiatives from our Washington, D.C. office. Five former members of SPAN USA's board of directors have been appointed to AFSP's national board of directors and a 15-member public policy council has been established to guide the organization's advocacy agenda.
...from E-News, SPAN