Well-Start Solutions, LLC Ane Romero, MPA - President

Yellow Ribbon New Mexico

Mental Health/Suicide Prevention and Post-vention

• Training for schools K-12

• Peer to peer/Top down training model

• Over 20,000 students, faculty/staff, & community members have been trained.

• Chapter sites across NM

Government Affairs

• Mental health policy & advocacy

• Lobbying, Consulting, and Advocacy

• Assist in establishing crisis safety protocols/policies for schools and communities .

• Assist in developing local, state, and national policy and advocacy initatives.

Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program

Ask 4 Help Children’s Program2000 Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program Rev. 2014

The journey of why…

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© Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program – www.yellowribbon.org _9.2017

National Institute of Mental Health4

Depression

• Mental illness = Illness of the brain

• The ‘Common Cold’ of Brain Disorders, Mental Health

• Brain chemicals (serotonin and others) become out of balance

• Almost 10% of the U.S. population suffer from clinical depression

• GOOD NEWS; Over 80% of depression can be treated.

© Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program – www.yellowribbon.org _9.2017

Invisible Illness

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© Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program – www.yellowribbon.org _9.2017

Youth Suicide in America Based on the 2017 Youth Risk Behaviors Survey, 7.4 percent of youth in grades 9-12 reported that they had made at least one suicide attempt in the past 12 months. Approximately 2.4 percent of all students reported making a suicide attempt that required treatment by a doctor or nurse.

Female students attempted almost twice as often as male students (9.3% vs. 5.1%). Black students reported the highest rate of attempt (9.8%) with white students at 6.1 percent. For those requiring treatment, rates were highest for Black students (3.4%). In 2017, 8.2 percent of Hispanic high school students

attempted suicide in the prior year compared with 6.1 percent of whites and 9.8

percent of blacks, according to federal data(Source: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention)

© Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program – www.yellowribbon.org _9.2017

The Children’s Ask for Help! program/curriculum is a module of suicide prevention program that includes:

▪ Elementary Program: K-5th grades

▪ Middle/High School: Training/curriculums for teens and young adults.

▪ Training modules for adults, community members, with specific trainings for School Staff, 1st Responders and Faith/spiritual leaders and communities.

❖ Yellow Ribbon is unique in that, in addition to training adults in the community and adults who work with youth, we offer a direct peer-to-peer training and education program. This means that we work directly with youth to allow for them to learn and become trained. Peer-to-peer connection is critical and effective in helping to identify youth in crisis.

❖ Our elementary program includes curriculum-based lesson plans, materials, and workbooks for teachers to work with their students directly.

---WHY SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAINING FOR CHILDREN?---

▪Children are more exposed to the tragedy of suicide

▪Education programs for students and school personnel which teach children

how to ask for help for themselves or a friend and which give gatekeepers skills

in identifying children at risk and source of help are shown to be good strategy in

preventing child suicide.22 Centre for Suicide Prevention, SIEC Alert #39

--WHY TRAIN TEACHERS AND STAFF?---

▪The role of the school in suicide prevention for children is

important as children spend a substantial part of their day in

school under the supervision of school personnel.

▪ It is crucial for school staff to be familiar with protective and risk factors and warning signs of suicidal behavior and to know how to intervene and respond at their own comfort level.6

6 National Association of School Psychologists

How does the Yellow Ribbon Ask 4 Help Children’s Curriculum work?

• Unique curriculum-based program that promotes the message that It’s OK to Ask 4 Help!• Includes researched hands-on strategies that build protective factors.• Curriculum seeks to reinforce the building of assets, also known as resiliency factors, commonly

referred to as life skills.• Lesson plans have been classroom tested and are age-appropriate.

✓ Research-based curriculum developed with the support of a grant from the Office of SuicidePrevention of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

✓ The elementary curriculum development and implementation are aligned with the recommendationsof National Strategy for Suicide Prevention and Best Practices Guidelines.

✓ Authors include educators and persons who work in the field of psychology, suicide prevention, andmental health.

It teaches children help seeking skills so that they learn to identify their emotionsand learn help seeking skills before the risk of suicide becomes an issue.

The program’s intention is to give children the tools necessary for help seekingbehavior so that by the time they reach adolescence, the help seeking behavior isingrained.

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Student Workbook

The Heart Family

HAPPY

SAD

SCARED

ANGRY

Children’s Ask For Help Program

▪ Lessons can be incorporated into existing class work, so there is no need to

create additional lessons or use of time for staff.

▪ Teachers are encouraged to bring their own creativity into the curriculum to

help children associate the learning with real-life experiences.

The materials focus on: • Problem-solving skills, anger management, conflict management, social skills, etc.• Cultural identity and support• Strong sense of self-esteem and self-worth• Connectedness with family members, teachers and other trusted adults, and

peers/friends• Opportunities to participate in and contribute to school and community

projects/activities• Responsibilities/duties • fear of risky behavior/pain• Knowing when and how to ask for help

STUDENT LESSONS

Content integration of the lessons include

▪ Literacy, visual aids

▪ Coping skills, problem solving, leading to help

seeking behavior

▪ Self-esteem, healthy expression of emotions

▪ Cultural identity, cultural support

▪ Connectedness, teamwork

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Student Lessons

Connectedness: Strong relationships with family,

close friends, teachers, clergy or other close

relationships are particularly strong protective

factors. Knowing who to turn to, reduces isolation

and children are more apt to approach trusted

relationship in time of need.

GOALS FOR ADULTS:

• LEARN WARNING SIGNS, AND RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS FOR SUICIDALBEHAVIOR.

• LEARN APPROPRIATE PROTOCOLS FOR GETTING HELP FOR STUDENTS IN A SAFE ANDTIMELY MANNER.

• LEARN HOW TO STRENGTHEN PROTECTIVE FACTORS AND MODEL CONNECTEDNESSAS A STRATEGY FOR THE PREVENTION OF SUICIDAL BEHAVIOR.

• completed until the person in need is taken to a professional counselor or clinician.The trainer works with the school and/or community to help identify and provide theparticipants with a list of resources available to that particular community.

BY THE END OF THE CURRICULUM, THE STUDENTS WILL:

▪ Understand what feelings are (definitions)

▪ Understand / recognize / express their own

feelings and feelings of others

▪ Recognize what they need and the

difference between needs and wants

▪ Differentiate between tattling and telling

▪ Know how to ask for help

▪ Identify helpers (trusted adults).

2 Centre for Suicide Prevention, SIEC #39, Strategies for Prevention Child

Suicide

Classroom Quilt

Mental Health Policy and Advocacy

What is Advocacy?

• The act of speaking, writing, or acting in support of something or someone – speaking your views on laws, regulations, and policies that affect you, your family and friends, and your community.

• 2 kinds:

✓ Public Advocacy – is to the public to ask them support your cause

Example: writing a letter to a newspaper, speak to a group

✓Legislative Advocacy – is working to have an influence on laws, regulations, and policies

Example: Write, call, or meet with an elective official

Advocacy Tips

• Be informed – know both sides of the issue; know as much you can

• Start early – start now for next year

• Be concise – keep things simple and clear

• Be specific – Know what you want people to do for you/your group

• Be honest – keep things real

• Give personal examples – speak from your heart & lived experiences

• Practice – talk to friends and family before meeting with a decision-makers

• Continue to communicate – keep everyone updated

• Be courteous – say thank you, even when they disagree

• Be firm & confident – express your belief and confidence in your convictions

• Do not make threats – don’t say anything that could be taken as unfriendly

• Do not argue with the legislator – stick to the facts, ask for consideration of your point of view

• Do not give up – keep going no matter what . . . This is a process and takes time and patience

Mental Health Task Force

What’s Your Why?

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GRACIAS!Ane Romero, MPA

(505) 699-9330

Ane.romero7@gmail.com

Facebook:

Yellow Ribbon New Mexico

Website:

www.seebelieveandachieve.com

How Do We Get Started?

• To use this program, a current license-to-use agreement (membership) must be onfile at Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program Headquarters.

• The agreement/MOU must be renewed annually. Material contained in thisdocument is copyrighted and protected by laws. Authors grant permission to copyselected materials for education purposes only under Fair Use Guidelines.

• This is a synopsis of the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program’s It’s OK to Ask 4Help Elementary Training Program. It is not a training presentation.

Legislative Process - Overview

Introduction & Committee

Referral

Committee Consideration

& Action

Final Passage in House or

Senate

Sent to the either the House or Senate

Concurrence Enrolling & Engrossing

For more information on the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program trainings availableto schools, organizations, and communities in New Mexico, you may contact:

Ane Romero, MPAYellow Ribbon State Director

Facebook: Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention, NM ChapterE-mail: ane.romero7@gmail.com Telephone: 505-699-9330