Edition 56 | December 2022

Welcome to the December 2022 Office of Suicide Prevention newsletter!

This month's OSP Rockstar Partner is Nathalye Balistrire.

Nathalye Balistrire is a Venezuelan-American licensed professional counselor. She is bicultural and bilingual (English/Spanish) and specializes in providing children and families with mental health therapy, overcoming the barriers of both language and culture.

Nathalye’s mission is to provide resources and guidance to young people and families to attain “an equal world.” Nathalye is a firm believer in the power and value of education because it was her own academic experience that helped her understand and seek equality by becoming a strong, independent woman. Nathalye provides workshops for Parental support as this is a critical piece for children’s education outcomes. Nathalie's investment years in designing programs that help the parents. She firmly believes that “If parents are educated, the child can perform successfully; if their families are well informed and involved in their education, immigrant parents tend to be less likely to be connected with their child’s school community.” Language barriers can prevent immigrant parents from maintaining regular contact with their schools and teachers. 

Click here to learn about Nathalye’s work.

Do you have a Rockstar Partner in your community that you would like to see featured in our next newsletter? Nominate them here by completing our Rockstar Partner Nomination Form.

The first regular session of the 74th General Assembly (Colorado's legislature) will convene on January 9, 2023. The Office of Suicide Prevention is gearing up for another busy legislative session. Please email us at CDPHE_SuicidePrevention@state.co.us if you have any questions or are working on something policy-related that you want to share with the OSP.

Supporting LGBTQ+ Coloradans is Suicide Prevention

The Office of Suicide Prevention continues to acknowledge that experiences of discrimination, which can include homophobia, transphobia, and violence against LGBTQ+ community members, can contribute to suicidal despair. To our LGBTQ+ Colorado community: we hear you, we see you, and we are you. Research and lived experience are clear that supporting LGBTQ+ identities prevents suicide and is part of OSP’s work. To learn more about how affirming and supporting LGBTQ+ people is suicide prevention, we would like to share with you our recent recommendation to Support LGBTQIA2S+ Youth and Young Adults (Ages 0-24) and our OSP Annual Report. In alignment with suicide prevention best practices, the OSP supports adopting and implementing identity-affirming and other anti-discrimination strategies as part of our aligned comprehensive suicide prevention effort. To read more about why equity is crucial to a comprehensive suicide prevention framework, please read our Equity and Suicide Prevention document.

LGBTQ+ stands for: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning, and all other identities, including intersex, asexual, and Two-Spirit and others.

State & nation-wide resources available: 

Colorado Crisis Services (CCS): Call 1-844-493-8255, text “TALK” to 38255, or find a walk-in center here. CCS can also provide recommendations for local resources.

The Trevor Project (1-866-488-7386) provides LGBTQ youth with 24/7 crisis counseling via phone, text, and chat.

The Trans Lifeline, which is run by and for trans people, provides trans peer support (1-877-565-8860)

State Partners

CDPHE’s Overdose Prevention Unit is Accepting Applications for the Harm Reduction Grant Fund Expansion Created by HB 22-1326. The Overdose Prevention Unit is pleased to announce the availability of funds to develop and/or expand harm reduction programs to prevent overdose deaths, reduce health risks associated with drug use, and decrease substance use related engagement in the criminal justice system. Applications are due January 31, 2023. Click here to learn more.

The Behavioral Health Administration, in partnership with Colorado Health Institute, developed a community behavioral health services assessment toolkit. The purpose is to equip local leaders with information and approaches that can deepen their understanding of community strengths, needs, and gaps, and strengthen their investments in meaningful and equitable behavioral health solutions.

Commission

The Commission is looking forward to the upcoming 2023 year! Please join the upcoming Quarterly Suicide Prevention Commission meeting on Friday, January 27, 2023, 9-11:30am. This will be our first meeting in the New Year! Information on how to join the Commission meeting is here. 

The Suicide Prevention Commission is deeply committed to equitable suicide prevention efforts. The Commission is excited that we will again be offering our upcoming Quarterly Commission Meeting in Spanish and in English. We look forward to you joining us and sharing with us feedback on our live interpretation options. 

The Commission currently has four open seats: Law Enforcement, Interfaith Organization, Colorado Business Community and a Philanthropic Foundation seat. Here is the application for anyone who is interested in applying for these openings. 

The Suicide Prevention Commission is looking for a Commissioner to represent Law Enforcement. The Law Enforcement Commission Seat is an opportunity for our local first responders to provide perspectives that are unique to their roles within the communities we all serve. Learn more about this opportunity here. 

The Suicide Prevention Commission supports multiple workgroups: an Older Adults Workgroup; a Youth-Specific Initiatives Workgroup; the Governor’s Challenge Workgroup to Support Service Members, Veterans, and their Families; and a Postvention Workgroup. Click here to sign up for any of the workgroups. All workgroup materials can be found here. If you have any questions or are interested in participating in the various workgroups or Commission meetings, please contact the Commission Coordinator Alise Nichols at alise.nichols@state.co.us.

The next Zero Suicide Learning Collaborative will be held on Thursday, January 26th from 10:00 - 11:00am. This Learning Collaborative will cover Trauma-informed Zero Suicide Implementation and Care. Please email conlin.bass@state.co.us to be added to this calendar invite and listserv.

Man Therapy

How to Get More Men to Try Therapy - The New York Times Highlights Man Therapy. Man Therapy, despite its name, is not intended to be a replacement for formal mental health care. It’s a website designed to educate, reduce stigma and encourage men to seek help in times of crisis. In addition to providing links to the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and a therapist finder tool, the website also offers a screening questionnaire to help men evaluate their mental state and self-help tips.

Training

The next virtual CAMS training will be Wednesday, February 8th, 2023 from 8:30am-4:30pm. Please register here.  

*Please note that space is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Submitting an application does not guarantee your space. OSP staff will reach out to applicants to confirm registration. 

If you are interested in attending an in-person CAMS training later in 2023, please complete this form. 

If you are interested in attending a different virtual CAMS training session, please join our interest list. 

The Office of Suicide Prevention has updated the instructions for accessing the LivingWorks Start gatekeeper training. Please see this instruction sheet for more details. Please visit the Office of Suicide Prevention’s Training webpage for more information on CAMS, LivingWorks Start, and much more!

Please note: There is an "Upcoming Events" section at the end of the newsletter. If your browser clips this email, please be sure to click "View entire message" to access all of the content!

Equity

Grounded in Islamic traditions, Maristan aims to lead professional clinical care, education, and research in advancing holistic, mental and spiritual wellness. Their Muslim suicide prevention projects include the Suicide Prevention Khutbah, the Suicide Postvention Khutbah, and the Muslim Community Suicide Response Manual. Additional Muslim mental health resources can be found here.

General

The U.S. Surgeon General released a new Framework for Mental Health & Well-Being in the Workplace. The report outlines five essentials for workplace mental health and well-being to help organizations develop, institutionalize, and update policies, processes, and practices that best support the mental health and well-being of all workers.

Identifying and Providing Health Education Materials for Migrant Farmworkers

Suicide Prevention During the Perinatal Period

Education Development Center (EDC) has launched Community-Led Suicide Prevention, an online toolkit to help communities come together and reach their suicide prevention goals. 

Suicide Prevention: Evidence-Informed Interventions for the Health Care Workforce. This guide offers interventions that hospitals and health systems can use to prevent suicide among health care workers.

Youth and Young Adults

SAMHSA released a landmark document, National Guidelines for Improving Youth Mental Health Crisis Care. This technical assistance document offers best practices, implementation strategies, and practical guidance for the design and development of services that meet the needs of children, youth, and their families experiencing a behavioral health crisis.

A Guide to Being an Ally to Transgender and Nonbinary Young People from The Trevor Project. An introductory educational resource that covers topics and best practices on how to support transgender and nonbinary young people.

Adverse Childhood Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Associations with Poor Mental Health and Suicidal Behaviors Among High School Students — Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey, United States, January–June 2021 In a recent study, most teens reported having at least one adverse childhood experience during the pandemic. Teens with such experiences were more likely to report poor mental health and suicide attempts compared to those without.

This year’s report by Mental Health America’s Young Mental Health Leaders Council (YMHLC), Building Power to Build a Mentally Healthy World: Supporting and Advancing Youth Leadership, provides nine guiding recommendations to create leadership programs that support youth as people, in relationships, and as part of larger social change ecosystems.

Older Adults

The E4 Center has released a new toolkit: Building and Sustaining Effective Behavioral Health Care for Older Adults. This toolkit highlights key engagement and sustainability strategies that will help advance efforts to improve behavioral health outcomes among older adults.

Visibility Matters: LGBTQI+ Cultural Responsiveness Training. The Visibility Matters training helps care providers gain the tools needed to create a safe place for LGBTQI+ people to be their authentic selves so that we can meet their unique needs. The training provides information about how to be more aware, sensitive, and responsive to LGBTQI+ older people and their families.

Lethal Means Safety & Overdose Prevention

The Safe Disposal work group of the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention focuses on issues relating to the safe storage and disposal of prescription medications with the potential for misuse, abuse, or diversion. The work group's first meeting of 2023 is January 11th from 8:30-10:00 am. Click here to join the work group.

Cross-Pollinated Resources

Alcohol Misuse And Mental Health In The Pandemic Era And Beyond - On Thursday, January 19, 2023, from 9:00 am – 10:30 am, the Alcohol Policy Resource Center is hosting the Alcohol Misuse and Mental Health in the Pandemic Era and Beyond webinar with Dr. Aaron White. Click here to register.

The Fundamentals of Trauma. The first of a six-session training series provides education on the fundamentals of trauma and how it emerges within our public schools. January 9, 2023  from 1:00 -2:30 pm MT

Partners for Children’s Mental Health (PCMH) is offering three upcoming trainings to help youth-serving professionals create safe spaces for LGBTQ youth. Training dates/times (MT):

• Introduction To Providing LGBTQ+ Competent Care: Jan. 11, 2023, 12–1:30pm 
• Introduction To Providing Gender Affirming Care to Gender Diverse Youth: Jan. 17, 4-5pm 
• Working With Gender Diverse Youth For Advanced Practitioners: Jan. 24, 4-5pm 

PCMH is hosting free Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) trainings in January for anyone 18+ interested in learning about suicide warning signs, prevention strategies, and how to support youth having thoughts of suicide. Training dates/times (MT): 

• Jan. 13, 9-10:30am
• Jan. 25, 12-1:30pm

Join their community of mental health trainers! Register to attend the next quarterly Trainers Connect Colorado meeting on Jan. 10 to share best practices and further training skills.

Family Dynamics in Bereaved Families. January 18, 2023 from 11:00 am -12:00 pm

Mark your calendars. Bridging the Divide is headed 'over the divide' to the Western Slope. We will be gathering at the Colorado Mountain College, Spring Valley Campus in Glenwood Springs, Colorado on May 18-19, 2023. Call for Papers will be announced soon and registration for the Summit will be available by April 1, 2023.