SEPTEMBER

National Suicide Prevention Month

Online Peer Support, Hotlines, Helplines, Warmlines, Special Events, Webinars, Trainings, Resources and more

LINKS TO

Text “HELP” to 741741 to Connect with a Trained Crisis Counselor at CrisisTextLine.org

Call 800-273-TALK (8255) to Connect with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

We’re excited to partner with Regional Suicide Prevention Coalitions across the state on our first multi-group suicide prevention campaign for this September’s Suicide Prevention Awareness month with a Day of Hope on Sept. 9th, 2021. Your coalition or organization are invited to hold your own signs event and we have the attached media packet to help you prepare for the event and provide ideas for how you can participate in a way that works best for you, your coalition, your organization, and your community.

Stay tuned for more information on what Coalitions will be involved, how you can participate, and photos from the different events. 

Do you want to purchase your own signs?

Please visit Don’t Give Up Signs for more information on their group, history, and how to order signs and other great materials.

Mental Health Out Loud: Suicide Prevention Month, 2021

It’s time to get real.

People in our communities are speaking out about their mental health struggles in ways we’ve never seen before. Actors, rappers, athletes, and faith leaders are going public with their stories, and offering support to others.

Black and Hispanic suicide rates are rising faster than any other racial/ethnic groups.

Youth 15-24 are at particularly high risk.

The conversation is overdue.

Lines for Life presents Mental Health Out Loud, highlighting this cultural transformation. Mental Health Out Loud prioritizes speaking up, telling someone what you’re going through, and reaching out for support when you need it.

Join us as we spotlight real stories and examples of individuals and communities rising up and putting their experiences on blast. We encourage you to find your own way to engage with Mental Health Out Loud – if you typically keep things to yourself, consider telling one trusted person about something you’re struggling with, or sharing one of the stories here with someone you care about and starting a conversation.

Because when we speak, we heal.

Check out our video on Mental Health Out Loud: Equity & Engagement

Forefront Suicide Prevention Presents:

COVID to CONNECTEDNESS – World Suicide Prevention Day Conference 2021

Date/Time: Wed, September 22, 2021, 3:30 – 4:00 p.m. ET 6:30 pm – 5:00 pm PST

Location: Virtual

During National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) will host a livestream event on suicide prevention during the pandemic, focusing on unemployment, youth, and other population subgroups who may be experiencing elevated risk.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest that overall suicide death rates have remained steady or have even fallen during the pandemic. However, the pandemic has not affected all Americans equally. Job loss, housing instability, food insecurity, and other risk factors for poor outcomes have disproportionately impacted minority communities. Data from some states suggest the number of African Americans dying by suicide increased in the early days of the pandemic. Also, recently CDC reported that emergency room visits for suspected suicide attempts started to increase among adolescents ages 12 to 17—especially among girls—during the pandemic.

This discussion will be led by:

• Stephen O’Connor, Ph.D., chief of the Suicide Prevention Research Program in the NIMH Division of Services and Intervention Research
• Lynsay Ayer, Ph.D., NIMH Senior Advisor on Youth and Suicide Prevention
• Rajeev Ramchand, Ph.D., NIMH Senior Advisor on Epidemiology and Suicide Prevention

Participating is easy.

• Watch the livestream event on NIMH’s Facebook or Twitter feeds. You must have either a Facebook or Twitter account to watch.
• Follow NIMH on Facebook or Twitter for updates on the livestream event and other information about mental health research.
• Refresh NIMH’s Facebook or Twitter feeds at 3:30 p.m. ET on September 22nd to watch the livestream discussion.
• NIMH will provide sign language interpreters.

Maternal Suicide Webinar

Maternal Suicide in the U.S., The Latest Research & Data Collection Efforts

Thursday, September 30, 2021  10-11:15 am PST

Maternal suicide is a leading cause of maternal mortality. Despite common misconceptions, pregnancy and the postpartum period do not protect against the risk of psychiatric disorders or suicide. It has become increasingly urgent and important to normalize the discussion of maternal suicide to raise awareness and double-down on maternal suicide tracking and prevention efforts. In this webinar, we will cover:

• A general overview of maternal suicide research and data collection in the U.S.
• The difference between suicide risk and suicidal ideation, including racial disparities
• Maternal suicide risk factors
• Efforts to Standardize Review by Maternal Mortality Review Committees

PRESENTERS:

Sidra Goldman-Mellor, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Lead Investigator, Maternal drug-related death and suicide are leading causes of post-partum death in California
Associate Professor of Public Health
School of Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts
Director, HSRI Biostatistics and Data Support
University of California, Merced

Marcela Smid, MD MA MS
Lead Investigator: Pregnancy-Associated Death in Utah: Contribution of Drug-Induced Deaths
Assistant Professor, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
University of Utah
Medical Director of SUPeRAD (Substance Use and Pregnancy – Recovery, Addiction, Dependence) Clinic

Kara Zivin, PhD, MS, MA, MFA
Researcher and Peer with Lived Maternal Mental Health Experience
Lead Investigator, Trends in Suicidal Ideation and Self-Harm Among Privately Insured Delivering Women
Professor of Psychiatry, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Health Management and Policy/Public Health
University of Michigan
Faculty Associate, Survey Research Center
Institute for Social Research
Research Career Scientist, Center for Clinical Management Research (CCMR),
VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System

REGISTER NOW

TRAINING

CLICK HERE FOR THE COURSE DESCRIPTION

CLICK HERE FOR CE DETAILS

REGISTER FOR THE SUMMIT NOW- FREE

HOPE FOR LIFE DAY TOOL KIT

September 10, 2021

The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention (Action Alliance) is a public-private partnership that was formed to help reduce suicide in the United States. Its American Indian/Alaska Native Task Force focuses on reducing suicide in AI/AN communities.

To help advance the Action Alliance’s priority to change the public conversation about suicide, the American Indian/Alaska Nativ Task Force developed National American Indian/Alaska Native Hope for Life Day, which coincides with World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10. They also developed the National Hope for Life Day Toolkit to help community leaders, grassroots organizers, and health care professionals working in Amerian Indian/Alaska Native communities implement a community-wide Hope for Life Day.

This toolkit will help community organizers take specific steps to change the conversation about suicide, spread awareness, and foster hope to help address suicide in their communities. Organizers are encouraged to host culturally tailored activities to promote hope, life, cultural connection, and community transformation. Examples of cultural activities can be found in “Ideas for Implementing Cultural Activities,” which is in the Toolkit Elements section below.

Toolkit Elements

Fact Sheets and Data

• SPRC: Scope of the Problem
• SPRC: Accessing Data about Suicidal Behavior among American Indians and Alaska Natives
• NCUIH Knowledge Resource Center Fact Sheets

Tips and Ideas for Hope for Life Day Activities

• Ideas for Implementing Cultural Activities
• Tips for Engaging Native Youth
• Tips and Strategies for Engaging Tribal Leaders

Ready to Use Templates

• Invitation Letter to Tribal Leaders to Participate in Hope for Life Day Event
• Request Letter to Tribal Leaders to Draft and Sponsor a Hope for Life Day 
• Hope for Life Day Tribal Resolution
• Hope for Life Day Urban Indian Organizations Proclamation
• Hope for Life Day Event Invitation Letter for Use by Urban Indian Organizations
• Hope for Life Day Press Release

Resources

Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC)
SPRC’s “American Indian/Alaska Native Settings” webpage provides access to a wide range of suicide prevention resources for American Indians and Alaska Natives.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
The Tribal Training and Technical Assistance Center offers training and technical assistance on mental and substance use disorders, suicide prevention, and mental health promotion for AI/AN communities. To Live to See the Great Day That Dawns is a guide to help AI/AN people develop effective and culturally appropriate suicide prevention programs. “American Indian and Alaska Native: Tribal Affairs” is a webpage with links to many national resources on behavioral health, including suicide, that are helpful for American Indian/Alaska Native people.

Indian Health Service
IHS’ “Suicide Prevention and Care Program” webpage provides information and links to resources on suicide prevention and care for Native people.

Native Connections
Native Connections is a five-year grant program that helps American Indian/Alaska Native communities identify and address the behavioral health needs of Native youth.

We R Native
We R Native is a website for and by Native youth on many health and mental health issues, including suicide. It includes both information and personal stories from Native youth.

Tribal Health: Reaching out InVolves Everyone
Tribal Health: Reaching out InVolves Everyone (THRIVE) is a suicide prevention project of the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board with a website that has resources for Native people throughout the U.S.

One Sky Center
One Sky Center is a national resource center with a focus on improving prevention and treatment of mental health and substance abuse problems and services among Native people.