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The monthly newsletter of the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network
April was a busy month for many regions and the TSPN staff is included in that! On top of knocking it out of the park with trainings and resource distribution, many of them also attended the national American Association of Suicidology conference in Portland, Oregon. Below you will find information regarding the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention Survey. If you've not had a chance to fill it out, please take a few minutes to fill that out so we can better understand how to help the Tennessee community moving forward.

In this issue

National Strategy for Suicide Prevention Survey
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Training and awareness events from April
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and more!
National Strategy for Suicide Prevention Survey Information
We are asking you to help inform national suicide prevention efforts by (1) completing the needs assessment yourself, and (2) sharing the assessment link with your networks. SPRC is seeking feedback from individuals across the U.S. who represent diverse experiences, walks of life, and demographics.

The needs assessment should take approximately 10 minutes to complete. It is completely anonymous and confidential. Responses will be used to inform the suicide prevention goals, objectives, and actions that will appear in the 2024 National Strategy. The needs assessment will remain open through May 12th, 2023.
 
Use this link to access the needs assessment (and share the link with others): survey.alchemer.com/s3/7302597/nationalstrategy-assessment
The National Strategy was originally released in 2001 and updated in 2012 by the U.S. Surgeon General and the Action Alliance. The National Strategy provided four strategic directions and included 13 goals and 60 objectives intended to guide suicide prevention efforts in the United States through 2022. By completing this assessment, you will help them to ensure that an updated National Strategy is representative of the changing landscape and trends in suicide prevention.
or "only 7 remaining!"
Photos from events across Tennessee
AAS 2023
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UPCOMING TRAININGS, MEETINGS & EVENTS


May 1-3: NATCON in Los Angeles, CA

May 11: Youth Mental Health First Aid 
Contact Brandy Maltsburger at bmaltsbu@frontierhealth.org 

May 24: ASIST in Memphis

June 5th & 6th: June Advisory Council Meeting
Contact Person: tspn@tspn.org

July 21st: Do the Work: Fostering Child Wellness in your Community
Sign up at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/583960600877

November 4: Growing and Healing for survivors of Suicide Loss Statewide Event
Details to come.
TSPN helped developed the Shield of Care curriculum, which is designed to help people who work with youth in detention identify suicide warning signs, connect with them to find out the severity of the risk, and link them to available mental health and crisis response supports. 

The participant training is a one-day session, running from 9 AM to 5 PM
local time with a break for lunch. Training dates are as follows:
  • Nashville: June 14
  • Memphis: May 30
  • Knoxville: May 24 OR June 20
  • Chattanooga: June 6
Register online at https://tinyurl.com/8ks55n66


The Shield of Care T4T runs two-and-a-half days. The first day covers the updated curriculum. The second day reviews the Trainers Manual. Boosters and teach-backs begin on the second day and continue on the third half-day.
We should note that while anyone may apply to be a Shield of Care instructor,
application preference will be given to the staff of residential treatment centers (RTCs)
and juvenile detention centers (JTCs) and to existing suicide intervention trainers
with RTC or JTC experience.
  • Training dates are as follows:
  • Nashville: June 14-16
  • Memphis: May 30-June 1
  • Knoxville: May 24-26 OR June 20-22
  • Chattanooga: June 6-8
Register online at https://tinyurl.com/3dbkjevp
ASIST training series across the state
Check our Eventbrite for training dates & locations
SUICIDE PREVENTION TASKFORCE EXPANDS

Growing membership from 35 individuals in 2019 to 99 in 2023, the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) continues to strengthen its comprehensive public health approach to suicide prevention. The Suicide Prevention Task Force includes broad representation across all sectors involved in suicide prevention activities across the state and meets quarterly to review statewide suicide-related data, programs, and services and to identify opportunities for improving statewide suicide prevention efforts.
Current task force members include individuals who work in healthcare organizations, behavioral health care organizations, law enforcement, community-based organizations, emergency response, faith-based organizations, rural organizations, and higher education institutions. Also represented are substance abuse treatment facilities, crisis services, military and veteran affairs, local schools, occupational groups such as construction workers, pharmacists and nurses, vulnerable populations such as men and people with disabilities, rural health care providers and county government officials. Click here for a current list of task force members.
Anyone interested in participating on the task force may contact LaDonna Merville, TDH Suicide Prevention Program Communications Specialist/Grant Coordinator, at LaDonna.Mervile@tn.gov for more information.
RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT

Data supports that more than 40 percent of teenagers state that they struggle with persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, and more than half of parents and caregivers express concern over their children’s mental well-being. A new resource, developed by the Health and Human Services Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, shares ways in which faith and neighborhood leaders can promote health and wellbeing in their communities. To learn more, download the Youth Mental Health and Well-being in Faith and Community Settings: Practicing Connectedness.

We would like to recognize the following donors & sponsors for their generous contributions toward suicide prevention in Tennessee




Marilyn Stockwell

Your financial support helps us with our work to raise awareness and prevent suicide in Tennessee. Learn more about your options for giving to TSPN.
Kristin Brooks Rossell-Butler
Want to volunteer? Sign up for a training?
Click the buttons below to get involved!
Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network | tspn.org