Edition 54 | October 2022

Welcome to the October 2022 Office of Suicide Prevention newsletter!

Nancy Viera

Nancy Viera is a multi-hyphenated artist and cultural worker with an energetic dedication to serve her community. Nancy is a Community Cultural Navigator at Colorado Access with over 15 years of community outreach experience. Before joining Colorado Access in 2013, Nancy worked recruiting youth for Job Corps, a Department of Labor funded program in Aurora, Denver, and Colorado Springs, Colorado. She helped place over 500 students in the residential training program. Nancy enjoys connecting with the community she grew up in and serving them in a way that is responsive and relevant. Nancy is also a published memoirist and poet, often speaking at middle schools and high schools in the Denver Metro area. Her memoir focuses on the aftermath of her son’s father's struggles with mental health and his unexpected passing after being in a war zone.  Nancy is an Ofrendas Facilitator with a focus on mental wellness at the Latino Cultural Arts Center and belongs to many local writing communities. Nancy is the curator and host of City Silhouettes; a local writer showcase with Tattered Cover Bookstores. Her poetry has been showcased at the Denver Art Museum.  Whenever Nancy is not out at a community event or writing, she enjoys traveling with her son, attending local artist events, trying out a new restaurant or cooking at home with her family in Aurora, Colorado.

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.

State Partners

BHA Releases 2022 Behavioral Health Plan. This report contains the Behavioral Health Administration’s (BHA’s) early conceptualization of what it means to be the lead steward of a people-first vision for whole-person health in Colorado.

Tough as a Mother Shares Domestic Violence Awareness toolkit. In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Tough as a Mother has created a toolkit to acknowledge survivors, share data and tools and bring awareness to the intersection of intimate partner violence and substance use disorder. Download the Tough as a Mother Social Media Toolkit for DVAM 2022.

Commission

Please join the upcoming Quarterly Suicide Prevention Commission meeting on Friday, October 28th, 2022, 9-11:30am. The meeting will provide an overview of current and past Commission as well as looking ahead to 2023.  If you have ever been interested in the Commission or wondered what the Commission does, this is a good meeting to attend. All Commission meetings are open to the public. Information on how to join the Commission meeting is here. 

During the last quarterly Suicide Prevention Commission meeting held in July, the Commission approved a new recommendation to: Support comprehensive suicide prevention strategies that specifically address the unique needs and experiences of young adults ages 19-24. Please continue to share this recommendation broadly with your partners!

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 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, Oct 27, at 10am MST. In this Learning Collaborative, Envision:You will be presenting on safer, responsive suicide care for LGBTQIA2S+ patients. Please email conlin.bass@state.co.us to be added to this calendar invite and listserv. 

Training

Bring Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) to your community! MHFA is a course that teaches individuals how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. The training gives people the skills they need to reach out and provide initial help and support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem or experiencing a crisis. The Colorado Chapter of Mental Health First Aid (MHFACO) receives grant funding through the Office of SP to help pay for courses for specialty populations, including courses in Spanish. MHFACO can also help those who may not qualify for grant funding to set up courses. If you are interested in bringing MHFA to your community, please reach out to Betsy Molgano at bmolgano@cbhc.org.

Visit the Office of Suicide Prevention’s Training webpage for more information on CAMS, LivingWorks Start, and much more!

Funding Opportunities

The Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) is looking to Colorado’s community of mental and behavioral health providers to think creatively about ways to reach rural communities and expand information about and access to services.

Grant requests should be between $25,000-$100,000 and should include a plan for how to fully expend the grant funding by the end of the state’s fiscal year, on June 30, 2023. The grant application period will be open until November 7, and applications should be submitted online here.

The Comprehensive Human Sexuality Education Program is excited to announce a new 3-year funding opportunity! The purpose of these funds is to support schools and school districts to implement comprehensive human sexuality education content that is medically accurate, culturally sensitive, inclusive of a positive youth development approach, and aligned with content requirements. Click here to learn more.

The Jed Foundation (JED) is inviting applications to their JED High School Fall 2023 Colorado Cohort! JED provides high schools and districts expert support, evidence-based best practices, and data-driven guidance to protect student mental health and prevent suicide. To express interest, please complete this brief RFP by October 28, 2022. JED is hosting two zoom sessions to learn more about the JED High School Colorado Cohort: Tuesday, October 25th, 9-10am MT (RSVP here) and Wednesday, October 26th, 4-5pm MT (RSVP here). Recordings will be available; please RSVP via the RFP form. For more information, please contact Glenn Karaban at glenn@jedfoundation.org.

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

SAMHSA has issued a new guide on Adapting Evidence-based Practices for Under-resourced Populations. This guide is intended to be broad and provide information for practitioners across both the mental health and substance use disorder fields.

The Racial Justice Competency Model for Public Health Professionals (RJCM). he RJCM gives public health professionals a single, clear, specific competency set for intentionally promoting equity and racial justice.

Live Another Day - Resources for Supporting Black, Indigenous, and People of Color: Live Another Day believes in equal access to life-saving mental health and substance use resources. This website provides extensive information on the best resources available.



Detox Local has several guides which outline some unique challenges faced by various groups of people, including resources for the Asian American + Pacific Islander community and the LGBTQ community.

General

Recommendations on Suicide Risk Screening in Adult Primary Care: A workgroup organized by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has developed recommendations for a clinical pathway to screen adults for suicide risk in primary care settings. The recommendations include guidance to help primary care practices implement the pathway.

National Maternal Mental Health Hotline: 1-833-943-5746 (1-833-9-HELP4MOMS)

24/7, Free, Confidential Hotline for Pregnant and New Moms in English and Spanish

Youth and Young Adults

Raising a Teen in Rural Colorado: A Colorado mom shares her story of the benefits — and challenges — that come with raising a teen in the Colorado mountains. This story from Forward Together Colorado is available in English and Spanish.

Last month, CAMS-care hosted an hour-long webinar, “CAMS-4Teens: The Complexities of Working with Parents.” The recording is available here.

The National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago and the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) are hosting virtual discussions about mental health with LGBTQ+ youth and parents or guardians of LGBTQ+ youth to explore the current needs and challenges among LGBTQ+ youth and identify ways professionals and parents or guardians can better support their mental well-being. NORC and SPRC are seeking participation from LGBTQ+ youth ages 18-24 and parents or guardians of LGBTQ+ youth. Participants will receive a $25 Amazon eGift Card. If you are interested in participating, please fill out this participation interest form. If you have any questions, please contact Abby Mariani at mariani-abby@norc.org.

Older Adults

New Resource to Support Social and Emotional Well-Being of Older Adults. Staying OK: Tips for Supporting Your Social Connections and Emotional Wellness is a consumer-friendly brochure that provides older adults with social engagement tips and tools to stay connected to their communities as well as suggestions for ways older adults can connect to mental health services and supports if needed. Available in English and Spanish, the brochure is also customizable—allowing your organization to add its logo and contact information before sharing with the older adults you serve.

Veterans

VA releases 2022 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report. The 2022 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report analyzes Veteran suicide data from 2001-2020. Containing the most comprehensive set of data about Veteran suicide mortality to date, the report is the first to evaluate Veteran suicide during the initial period of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lethal Means Safety

The Drug Enforcement Agency’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is October 29th. Visit TakeMedsSeriously.org to learn more about how Coloradans can participate in safe disposal year round.

Lethal Means Safety Education and Counseling for Providers is a FREE, online,

self-paced course for healthcare providers serving Veterans in their community. Click here to learn more.

"Promoting Voluntary, Temporary Firearm Storage and Development of Firearm Storage Maps" recorded webinar featuring Dr. Emmy Betz, Leslie Barnard MPH, and Dr. Ali Rowhani Rahbar. You can view the recording of the webinar here on the Injury Prevention Center YouTube page. You can also view and download the toolkit on the Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative website.

Cross-Pollinated Resources

Impact of Climate Change on Mental Health. Extreme weather events are becoming more intense and more frequent. This webinar and infographic explore the interconnectedness of climate change and mental well-being, while focusing on climate resilience and what can be done to combat these evolving issues.

The Colorado Recovery Friendly Workplace Toolkit is a comprehensive document that enables employers to take the first steps in becoming an organization that supports all employees, especially those in recovery from addiction.

In The News

‘Do You Look After Your Neighbors as Close as Your Crop or Herd?’ - How Farmers in Colorado Are Taking Care of Their Mental Health.  This New York Times opinion piece highlights suicide precention efforts in some rural Colorado communitites. 

Moodfuel News is a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to serving Coloradans with unmet mental health needs through original and curated, inclusive and solutions-based journalism. Visit their website to explore resources or to subscribe to their weekly newsletter.

Virtual Education 101 Town Hall: Join YAASPA, The Center for African American Health, DPS Student Voice and Leadership, and GreatEducation on October 29th from 1pm-3pm to learn about social studies standards updates and students using their voice to impact curriculum. Register for this virtual event here.

49th Annual National Association For Rural Mental Health Conference will be held in person at the Embassy Suites in Boulder, CO, from November 2–4, 2022. This year’s conference theme is “Beyond the Pandemic – Building on Rural Resiliency” and will highlight speakers and workshops focused on rural policy, clinical practice, and effective leadership. More information, including registration instructions, can be found on the NARMH website. 

Ask the Experts: LGBTQ Suicide: This program will be streamed live on Thursday, November 3rd, 7-8:30 pm Eastern. It will also be recorded and participants may submit questions in advance.