Please join us for . . . .
The 3rd annual AFSP Out of the Darkness Campus Walk
Hosted by Chi Sigma Iota Honor Society
Sunday April 21st, 2013
Check-in/Registration 11:30 AM & Welcome Ceremony 12 noon
Festival Conference & Student Center
Harrisonburg, Virginia
To register, please click on the following link:
http://afsp.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=2241
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.
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.
We hope you will join us in our efforts to help raise awareness and support our community.
Monday, April 22, 2013
New Report: Elder Suicide in Virginia
Greetings,
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:
(Marc Leslie, VVDRS Coordinator)
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:
- From 2003-2010 there were 1,595 elder suicide decedents in Virginia.
- Elder males have a higher risk of suicide than non-elder males.
- Elder suicide risk is highest in the southwest area and lowest in the northern area.
- While most elders use a firearm in the fatal suicide, those that used poisons commonly used their own prescription medications.
- Mental health problems and physical health problems were the two most common factors in elder suicide.
(Marc Leslie, VVDRS Coordinator)
ASIST: Suicide "First Aid" Training
The 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.
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.
Just as “CPR” skills make physical first aid possible, ASIST teaches the skills used in suicide prevention first aid.
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.
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.
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".
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.
All participants will receive documentation for 14 hours of instruction. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for licensure are available upon request.
2013 Virginia ASIST Trainings*:
May 8-9 at Averett University, Danville,
May 21-22 at Virginia State University, Petersburg
May 21-22 at George Mason University, Fairfax
July 17-18 at Christopher Newport University, Newport News
August 20-21 at James Madison University, Harrisonburg
Sept. 19-20 at Southside Virginia Community College, Keysville
Oct. 10-11 at Germanna Community College, Culpepper
Dec. 5-6 at Dabney S. Lancaster Community College, Buena Vista
Registration is on-line at:
http://campussuicidepreventionva.org/eventasist.php
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.
Just as “CPR” skills make physical first aid possible, ASIST teaches the skills used in suicide prevention first aid.
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.
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.
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".
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.
All participants will receive documentation for 14 hours of instruction. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for licensure are available upon request.
2013 Virginia ASIST Trainings*:
May 8-9 at Averett University, Danville,
May 21-22 at Virginia State University, Petersburg
May 21-22 at George Mason University, Fairfax
July 17-18 at Christopher Newport University, Newport News
August 20-21 at James Madison University, Harrisonburg
Sept. 19-20 at Southside Virginia Community College, Keysville
Oct. 10-11 at Germanna Community College, Culpepper
Dec. 5-6 at Dabney S. Lancaster Community College, Buena Vista
Registration is on-line at:
http://campussuicidepreventionva.org/eventasist.php
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Suicide among Virginia Active Duty and Veterans
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 Military-Related Suicide in Virginia: 2003-2010. This report examines suicide among active duty military members and military veterans in Virginia. Highlights of this report include:
This report is available at: http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/medExam/NVDRS.htm#reports
From Marc Leslie
- From 2003-2010 there were 1,647 suicide decedents in Virginia who were active duty military members or military veterans.
- 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.
- Active duty military members less often gave clear warning signs to friends and family that they were at risk for suicide than did civilians.
- Military members had a number of protective factors in place including education, marriage, and employment, but were still at increased risk for suicide.
This report is available at: http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/medExam/NVDRS.htm#reports
From Marc Leslie
National Survivors of Suicide Day
November 17, 2013
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 www.afsp.org . The outline of the day is as follows:
12:30 - 1:00 pm Registration
1:00 - 2:30 pm Viewing of Teleconference
2:30 - 3:00 pm Discussion
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!!
Sean McGowan
540-241-2320
Recognizing and Responding to Students in Distress
We are pleased to announce the release of Recognizing and Responding to Students in Distress: A Faculty Handbook. 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.
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.
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.
From Jane Wiggins, Ph.D.
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.
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.
From Jane Wiggins, Ph.D.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
NSPL Partners with the NFL
Today, 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 http://www.nfllifeline.org/.
How did the NFL Life Line come about?
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.
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.
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 http://www.veteranscrisisline.net/ site. The launch of this service today is a tremendous moment for further recognizing the central suicide prevention role of crisis centers in America.
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.
(From John Draper, Director of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline)
How did the NFL Life Line come about?
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.
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.
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 http://www.veteranscrisisline.net/ site. The launch of this service today is a tremendous moment for further recognizing the central suicide prevention role of crisis centers in America.
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.
(From John Draper, Director of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline)
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