This is a monthly newsletter from CDPHE regarding the Office of Suicide Prevention. | |
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OFFICE OF SUICIDE PREVENTION | |
Office of Suicide Prevention Updates | |
A Special Thank You to Sarah Brummett for your Dedication to Suicide Prevention in Colorado! | |
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After eight years with the Office, Sarah Brummett is leaving her role as OSP Director and heading to work with the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention!
In her own words: “When I joined the OSP in 2014, I was not prepared for how rewarding this work would be. I have had the true honor of working with some of the most passionate, dedicated, and kind people. During my time with OSP, building off of the foundation built by those before us, as a team we have been able to grow our small but mighty Office to better support (and fund) the needs of Colorado, to position the state as an ideal option for competitive federal funding, and the Office has secured its spot as a leader in the nation. We have been able to grow small promising projects like the Follow Up Project, Man Therapy, and the Gun Shop Project into larger systemic efforts. We have built capacity to support grantees around the state with implementing best practices such as Zero Suicide and Sources of Strength. We have pushed innovations, partnerships, and collaborations beyond seeing suicide prevention as an activity reserved for health care organizations in isolation but more as a community issue requiring cross sector cooperation and investment. I know I leave the Office in good hands and I am so proud of what the team has accomplished and will accomplish in the future and I am so proud to have been a small part of the work happening everyday in Colorado to create safe, inclusive, healthy, connected communities worth living in.”
THANK YOU SARAH FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE!
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Colorado-National Collaborative | |
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Earlier this summer, the Colorado-National Collaborative (CNC) had the opportunity to present at this year’s Bridging The Divide Suicide Awareness & Prevention Summit organized by the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Colorado. Our local CNC teams provided both urban and rural strategies unique to their communities for implementing the comprehensive approach to suicide prevention. Our evaluation team, consisting of our state, local and national partners, presented the project’s evaluation model.
The Bridging the Divide event provided a great opportunity for our CNC partners to not only showcase their dedicated efforts from the past several years, but also allowed for several members of our team to meet in-person for the first time!
THANK YOU TO OUR WONDERFUL CNC TEAM FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK!
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The CDPHE recently released the results from the 2021 administration of the Healthy Kids Colorado Survey (HKCS) on June 15. The HKCS is administered every other year to Colorado’s middle and high school students. It’s an anonymous and voluntary opportunity for young people to report their health status in the areas of nutrition, physical activity, suicide, bullying, mental health, tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, drugs, sexual health, experiences of violence and racism, school and community engagement, and access to trusted adults. It is Colorado’s most comprehensive data source for understanding how young people are doing.
Public and private organizations use this survey’s state and regional health data to identify trends and enhance school- and community-based programs that improve the health and well-being of young people. Data from the 2021 high school survey show:
- An increase in the percent of youth who experienced feelings of depression in the past year
- No change in the percent of youth who had thoughts of suicide, made a suicide plan, and attempted suicide in the past year
- A decrease in the percent of youth who currently use substances, including alcohol, marijuana, cigarettes, electronic vapor products, and taking prescription pain medication without a prescription
To learn more, review 2021 HKCS data as well as data from previous years, visit healthykidscolo.org.
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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.
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Every month we hold an interactive online Learning Collaborative for health system leaders working in suicide prevention. Experts in health care-based suicide prevention, advocates who speak on their lived experience, and a diverse array of other guest speakers join health system leaders from across Colorado in discussing state of the art approaches to improving care and saving lives. The next collaborative will take place virtually on Thursday, August 25th, 2022 from 10-11 am MT. To be contacted for the next collaborative, please email the OSP Zero Suicide Coordinator, Conlin at: Conlin.Bass@state.co.us. | |
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LivingWorks Start Training
The OSP is pleased to provide our partners across Colorado FREE access to the LivingWorks Start suicide prevention gatekeeper training. LivingWorks Start is a one-hour, online, interactive training program that gives you the skills and knowledge to keep family, friends, co-workers, and others safe from suicide. For more information, click here.
We still have several licenses available, so final chances to take advantage of this offer! To access the training, click here and enter access code: OSP Gen
Please note that licenses are available for use on a first come, first served basis. Please do not share the URL and access code outside of Colorado. *LivingWorks Start works best with Google Chrome, Firefox, or Microsoft Edge browsers. It is not Internet Explorer compatible. If you have any questions or issues accessing the training, please contact Dymond Ruybal at Dymond.Ruybal@state.co.us.
Visit the Office of Suicide Prevention’s Training webpage for more information on CAMS, LivingWorks Start, and much more!
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RESOURCES - Hot off the Press!
*Disclaimer: The following resources and events do not necessarily reflect the Office of Suicide Prevention’s views or opinions.
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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! | |
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Executive Order on Advancing Equality for LGBTQI Youth: The White House has released an executive order on advancing equality for LGBTQI individuals calling for efforts to protect their safety and support their physical and mental health.
Adolescent Suicide Prevention. On-Demand Webinar from CAMS.
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Meeting the Unique Needs of LGBTQ+ Older Adults
The National Resource Center for Engaging Older Adults and Commit to Connect are co-hosting a two-day Virtual Social Engagement Summit on August 2nd and 3rd from 11:00 - 1:30 pm MT. The Virtual Summit will bring together researchers and national, state and local leaders for interactive discussions on the current state of social isolation research, practical implications for your organization’s social engagement work, and creative solutions to help older adults, people with disabilities and caregivers stay socially engaged and connected.
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Veterans & Emergency Responders | |
Operation Veteran Strong is a platform and campaign that helps Veterans thrive post service. Whether a Veteran is 12 days, 12 months or 12 years back from deployment, Operation Veteran Strong is a useful tool for helping U.S. Veterans navigate civilian life and find purpose. They can find inspiring stories from other Veterans, get information on accessing benefits, take helpful self-assessments and connect with a wide range of free, practical and useful support services. With a free, confidential account Veterans can connect on their own terms with benefits, outdoor recreation events, employment, financial supports, Vet groups, VFWs and community resources. | |
The Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention coordinates Colorado’s response to the crisis of misuse and abuse of prescription medications such as opioids, stimulants, and sedatives. The Consortium is a place where stakeholders from diverse backgrounds and viewpoints work together and focus their efforts to address the opioid crisis. Explore their website to learn more about upcoming events, order materials, or access FREE provider education. | |
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Raft for Hope. Sunday July 24th @ 5pm. Mild to Wild Rafting & Jeep Tours. 50 Animas View Dr, Durango, CO 81301.
Colorado Counseling Association Fall 2022 Conference. September 15-17, 2022 @ Copper Mountain Ski Resort in beautiful Frisco, Colorado.
Frontline Perspectives on the American Opioid Crisis. By Swedish Medical Center’s Dr. Don Stader, Board-Certified emergency room and addiction medicine physician. Register for the Suicide Prevention of Colorado’s free virtual presentation on Tuesday, Sept. 20, from 11:00-12:00.
Facilitating Suicide Bereavement Support Groups for Children and Teens. October 19-20, 2022.
Upcoming Trainings by Jefferson Center
MHFA:
Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR):
safeTALK:
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Rockstar Partner Spotlight! | |
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. | |
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To improve the health, well-being and equity of all Coloradans through health promotion, prevention and access to health care. | | | | | |
