Webinars

Situational Obstacles for Suicide Prevention: Gatekeepers and the Moderating
Effect of Social Support - Taylor Moore, June 2, 2009

Veteran Suicide Risk: The Role of Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder - Peter M Gutierrez, Ph.D. . May 29, 2008 (wmv file)

Incorporating Positive Youth Development Into Your Prevention Program

Reports

Comprehensive Community Based Suicide Prevention Plan
The Office of Suicide Prevention works to facilitate the design and implementation of Suicide Prevention Plans in Colorado communities. The Office has developed a comprehensive plan to guide communities in the development of a plan that fits their community.

Suicide in Colorado report
Statewide needs and resource assessment.  The Colorado Trust, in collaboration with the Office of Suicide Prevention completed a statewide needs and resources assessment that studied services and systems in place to serve suicidal individuals, the barriers to assistance for those at risk, and trends in suicide attempts and completions.  This report was released in February 2002 and is available electronically or as a hard copy through the Office of Suicide Prevention and The Colorado Trust.

Other Activities

Resource clearinghouse. The Office of Suicide Prevention has available a resource library with information on suicide, prevention programs, mental illness, statistics on suicide and related risk factors, as well as other related information. All of this information is available for public use.

Public awareness campaign.  The Office of Suicide Prevention provides outreach efforts to Colorado communities, including presentations, town meetings, providing informational materials, a speakers’ bureau, and distributing suicide prevention posters statewide.

Training. The Office of Suicide Prevention has training curricula addressing different components of suicide intervention and prevention at the community level. The Office of Suicide Prevention has trainers throughout Colorado to provide training in suicide prevention.

Grant making. The Office of Suicide Prevention administers funds to local communities for suicide prevention and education efforts.

The Office of Suicide Prevention provides public awareness materials to residents of Colorado, free of charge.  The following are examples of some of the materials available.

Posters

Youth poster#1	Youth poster#2	Youth poster#3/Spanish
Youth secrets	Youth secrets/Spanish	Treatment for depression/Spanish
Treatment for depression	Cell phone/Spanish	Cell phone
Depression/Spanish	Depression	Elderly
Middle age male	Middle age male/Spanish	Start the Conversation
Start the Conversation Spanish	Start the Conversation Poster 2	Start the Conversation Poster 2 Spanish
Start the Conversation Poster 3	Start the Conversation Poster 3 Spanish	Youth Suicide Prevention Brochure
Youth Suicide Prevention Brochure Spanish

Start the Conversation Decal	Start the Conversation Button	Start the Conversation Bumper Sticker
Start the Conversation Decal Spanish	Start the Conversation Button Spanish	Start the Conversation Bumper Sticker Spanish

Risk Factors

• Depression, bipolar disorder, or other mental illness
• Significant loss (divorce, death, loss of health, separation, break-ups, loss of respect)
• Pressure to succeed
• Family problems
• Poor self esteem
• Family history of suicidal behavior
• Someone close to individual has completed suicide

Warning Signs

• Talking about suicide, death, or preoccupation with dying
• Trouble eating or sleeping (sleeping all the time, unable to sleep at all, not able to eat or overeating)
• Significant changes in behavior and/or personality
• Withdrawing from family and friends
• Loss of interest in activities, work, school, hobbies, or social interactions
• Giving away prized possessions
• Previous suicide attempts
• Increased drug and/or alcohol use
• Statements about hopelessness, or worthlessness
• Taking unnecessary risks
• Sudden happiness or calmness following a depressed mood
• Obsession with suicidal means (guns, knives, hanging materials)
• Problems in school or work performance
• Chronic pain or frequent complaints of physical symptoms
• An inability to concentrate, trouble remembering things

What To Do

• Take all suicide threats seriously. Listen and express concern in a nonjudgmental way.
• Take action! Get the individual connected with professional help.
• Ask questions openly ("Do you have a plan? Will you talk with someone who can help?")
• Show that you care.

What Not To Do

• Do not keep it a secret
• Do not sidestep the issue or treat it lightly.
• Do not leave the person alone.
• Do not offer simple solutions.
• Do not judge.
• Do not offer or suggest drugs or alcohol.
• Do not try to be a therapist. Get professional help.

• Search for state and county suicide data

• Injury in Colorado report (contains suicide data) 

• Suicide in Colorado report 

• Adams County 303-853-3500
• Boulder County 303-447-1665
• Jefferson County 303-425-0300
• Eastern Colorado 970-522-4392
• Western Colorado 970-945-2241
• Southwest Colorado 970-247-5245
• Southeast Colorado 1-800-511-5446
• Arapahoe County 303-617-2300
• Denver County 303-436-4100
• Larimer County 970-498-7610 or 970-221-2114
• Midwestern Colorado 970-249-9694
• Pikes Peak Region 719-635-7000

• San Luis Valley Region 719-589-3671

• Weld County 970-353-3686

• Pueblo County 719-545-2746

• Suicide Resource Center of Larimer County 970-635-9301

• Heartbeat 719- 596-2575 (Founding Chapter/ Colorado Springs)
  303- 794-3564 (South Metro Denver Chapter)

• S.A.F.E./ Moffat County Visiting Nurses Association 970-824-8233

• Route County Suicide Crisis Intervention Line 970-879-1632

• Pueblo Suicide Prevention Center Teen Hotline 719-564-5566

• Suicide Prevention Coalition of Colorado 303-377-3040, ext.41  

State Resources

• Heartbeat Survivors After Suicide

• Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program

• Suicide Education and Support Services of Weld County

• The Suicide Prevention Partnership

• Jefferson Center for Mental Health

• Jefferson Center for Mental Health: End Teen Suicide Life Matters

• Mental Health America of Colorado

• Project CASE

• SAFE:TEEN

• Suicide Resource Center of Larimer County

• The Second Wind Fund

National Resources

• American Association of Suicidology

• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

• National Institute of Mental Health Research Consortium

• National Alliance for Mentally Ill

• National Mental Health Association

• Suicide Prevention Resource Center

• People Prevention Suicide - College Suicide Prevention
   

The Injury, Suicide and Violence Prevention (ISVP) Section of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) is coordinating Project Safety Net, a comprehensive suicide prevention initiative in five Colorado counties and at the University of Colorado at Boulder (CU Boulder).  The initiative will build a safety net for adolescents and young adults who are at a heightened risk for suicidal behavior. The safety net will be made up of adults and young adult peers who are able to recognize and respond to warning signs of suicide.

            El Paso, Larimer, Mesa, Pueblo, and Weld Counties, along with CU Boulder will participate in Project Safety Net from October 2006 to August 2009. Adults working with adolescents ages 15-18 in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems, and the adolescents’ parents or caregivers, are the target population of the community initiative. Faculty, staff, resident hall student leaders, Greek system representatives, and athletic department representatives that work with CU students ages 18-22 are the target population of the CU Boulder initiative. Both initiatives will work closely with a local coalition and with a subcommittee advisory council of the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Colorado (SPCC); both will create and disseminate cross-system referral protocols for treatment and/or care of suicidal individuals; both will train gatekeepers in the Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) and the Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) training; and both will work with a marketing specialist to create public awareness campaigns targeting potential suicide interveners for community and campus-wide distribution. 

            Project Safety Net will accomplish the following three goals during the three years of the cooperative agreement:

Goal One: Enhance state-level infrastructure for youth suicide prevention efforts.

Goal Two: Enhance community-based youth suicide prevention efforts in five Colorado communities.

Goal Three: Enhance suicide prevention efforts at a Colorado university.       

To view marketing material for youth suicide prevention - click here.

Project Safety Net Year End Report

Project Safety Net Year Two End Report