1. Health Care Policy Catherine Bauer Jacksonville University
Organization, Delivery, and Policy in Healthcare NUR512 Virginia
Suicide Prevention Program
2. Objectives Describe the extent and severity of problem
Review Program outcomes, results and sustainability List
accreditation requirements Review resources needed
3. Severity of Problem In Virginia, suicide ranked 11th for
cause of death among residents and was the third leading cause
among 10- to 24-year-olds. 1,047 Virginians died by suicide in 2013
("State Suicide Prevention Initiatives and Plans," 2015)
4. Suicide Rates, By State ("State Suicide Prevention
Initiatives and Plans," 2015)
5. Suicide Rates, By Region ("State Suicide Prevention
Initiatives and Plans," 2015)
6. Severity of Problem in Virginia 4,401 suicide attempts; 30%
(n=1,294) occurred among youth and adolescents aged 10-24. Females
were more likely to attempt suicide than males. Whites were more
likely to attempt suicide than any other race. 82% of suicide
attempts involved poisonings. These suicide attempts resulted in
hospitalization charges of more than $43 million, and a median
charge of $6,192 per episode of care. ("State Suicide Prevention
Initiatives and Plans," 2015)
7. Program Overview The Suicide Prevention Program coordinates
statewide training for school personnel, human service providers,
faith communities and others on suicide prevention and
intervention, including identification of persons at- risk of
suicide, screening, counseling and referral. The suicide prevention
programs are currently funded through the Substance abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration, pursuant to the Garrett Lee
Smith Memorial Act, and the Preventive Health and Health Services
Block Grant ("Strategizing for suicide prevention," 2015)
8. Factors influence suicide rates History of mental disorder,
particularly depression History of alcohol and substance abuse
Family history of suicide and child maltreatment Feelings of
hopelessness Impulsive or aggressive tendencies Barriers to
accessing mental health treatment Physical illness Easy access to
lethal methods Unwillingness to seek help because of the stigma
attached to suicidal thoughts or to mental health and substance
abuse disorders Cultural and religious beliefs -- for instance, the
belief that suicide is a noble resolution of a personal dilemma
Local epidemics of suicide Isolation, a feeling of being cut off
from other people Previous suicide attempt(s) ("Strategizing for
suicide prevention," 2015)
9. Prevention Tips Begins by knowing the signs that may
indicate depression: Low self-esteem Anger management problems
Irritability Getting into trouble with the law Becoming pregnant
early in life Abusing alcohol or drugs Threatening suicide or
homicide Significant change in appetite or weight Feelings of
worthlessness or excess guilt Fatigue or loss of energy ("Public
Health Approach to Suicide Prevention," 2015)
10. ("Public Health Approach to Suicide Prevention," 2015)
11. What You Can Do.... If you think a person is at risk for
depression or suicide, the next step is to actively intervene and
refer the person to proper help. Take immediate and sufficient
steps to ensure safety including eliminating access to firearms.
Explore individual/family/group therapy Enlist family and community
support. Do not hesitate to involve mental health professionals
trained to recognize and treat depression and related
disorders.
12. Sustainability of Program National Strategy for Suicide
Prevention (NSSP) NSSP emphasizes the role all Americans can play
in protecting their friends, family members, and colleagues from
suicide. It provides guidance for schools, businesses, health
systems, clinicians, and others based on nearly a decade of
research and advancements in the field. National Action Alliance
for Suicide Prevention This public-private partnership advances the
NSSP (see above) in pursuit of their vision of a nation free from
suicide. The Alliance champions suicide prevention as a national
priority, catalyzing efforts to implement high priority objectives
of the NSSP, and cultivating the resources needed to sustain
progress. AFSP supports the Action Alliance and AFSP leadership
sits on the Alliances Research Prioritization Taskforce. ("State
Suicide Prevention Initiatives and Plans," 2015)
13. Resources Needed Scientific research grants Developing a
growing network of researchers dedicated to reducing the loss of
life from suicide Significant contributions as a member of the
Research Priorities Task Force of the National Alliance for Suicide
Prevention, and by consulting with organizations such as the
National Institutes of Health to support implementation of these
priorities.
14. Accredidation The National Violent Death Reporting System
(NVDRS) collects detailed information on violent deaths and
suicides from 17 states; including Virginia. This information can
provide valuable insight into the circumstances surrounding youth
suicide. For example, a recent study conducted by Harvard
University using NVDRS data found that 35% of youth suicide deaths
occurred the same day the youth experienced a crisis. ("State
Suicide Prevention Initiatives and Plans," 2015)
15. Outcomes Effective clinical care for mental, physical and
substance use disorders Easy access to a variety of clinical
interventions and support for help seeking Strong connections to
family and community support Support through ongoing medical and
mental health care relationships Skills in problem solving,
conflict resolution and nonviolent handling of disputes
16. Unintended Effects While we understand that suicide is
personal and complicated, we also know that thoughtful public
policies can reduce the number of suicides. The U.S. Senate has
passed the Harkin/Alexander amendment, the Mental Health Awareness
and Improvement Act (S. 689), by a vote of 95-2. This amendment is
the first significant mental health legislation passed by the
Senate since 2008 This act reauthorizes important federal youth
suicide prevention programs for states and college campuses under
the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act ("Public Health Approach to
Suicide Prevention," 2015)
17. Program Revision The Mental Health Awareness and
Improvement Act will help advance suicide prevention through:
Mental health awareness training for school and emergency services
personnel so they can recognize the signs and symptoms of mental
illness, become familiar with resources in the community for
individuals with mental illnesses, and learn how to safely
de-escalate crisis situations involving individuals at risk for
self-harm Expansion of the National Violent Death Reporting System
(NVDRS) to all 50 states, which would ensure the availability of
complete, accurate, and timely information used to design effective
suicide prevention strategies. ("Public Health Approach to Suicide
Prevention," 2015)
18. Program Revision In 2014-2015, Suicide Prevention Advocates
have inspired positive state policy changes by Supporting
legislation that now mandates regular suicide prevention training
for school personnel. Supporting pioneering legislation in
Washington state and Kentucky that now mandates regular suicide
prevention training for certain health and mental health
professionals. ("Public Health Approach to Suicide Prevention,"
2015)
19. References State Suicide Prevention Initiatives and Plans.
(2015). Retrieved from www.afsp.org/advocacy-
public-policy/state-policy/state-suicide-
prevention-initiatives-plans Suicide: Prevention Strategies.
(2015). Retrieved from
www.cdc.gov/violencePrevention/suicide/preven tion.html Suicide
Prevention in the 21st Century: A Framework. (2015). Retrieved from
www.sprc.org/basic/about-suicide-prevention