This is a special edition newsletter from CDPHE regarding the Office of Suicide Prevention.

Edition 52 | September 2022

Welcome to a special edition of the Office of Suicide Prevention newsletter! 

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Like you all, our Colorado community partners, we work year-round to reduce the impact of suicide here in Colorado. In this issue, we would like to provide a snapshot of our work this month, to highlight our OSP resources, and to share opportunities for community engagement with our work. 

About the Office of Suicide Prevention

The mission of the Office of Suicide Prevention is to serve as the lead entity for suicide prevention, intervention supports, and postvention efforts in Colorado, collaborating with communities statewide to reduce the number of suicide deaths and attempts. Learn more about our Office’s work in our annual report and on our website.

The Colorado Office of Suicide Prevention, in collaboration with partners across the state and country, works to prevent all Coloradans from feeling suicidal, from attempting suicide, and from dying by suicide and to support Coloradans who have been impacted by suicide, including suicide loss. Experiences of suicide exist on a continuum. The majority of people who experience suicidal despair do not go on to attempt or die by suicide. Effective and authentic suicide prevention must support everyone impacted by suicide. 

Our commitment to equity: The Office of Suicide Prevention, alongside its advisory body: the Suicide Prevention Commission, works to reduce suicidal despair, attempts, and deaths by identifying and dismantling oppressive systems. We envision a transformed Colorado that honors the overlap of race, ethnicity, gender and sex identity, sexual orientation, education, age, language, religion, ability, marital status, and geography. We aim to work together with our community partners towards prioritizing equity in all of our programs and practices. Read more here!

Office of Suicide Prevention Resources

Read below to discover the free, publicly available resources OSP has to offer!

Colorado Suicide Data

The Colorado Suicide Fatality Dashboard has been updated to include 2021 fatality data. Each and every one of these statistics represents a profound loss to our Colorado communities. It is with honor and respect that the following data are presented with the full weight of our shared responsibility to take action in light of the pain of these deaths. Click here to view the updated dashboards.

Order Materials

The OSP has all sorts of materials for you to request - from wallet cards, to tri-folds, to posters, and even coasters and stickers! Many items are available in both English and Spanish. To see current availability, visit the OSP Materials Order form. To make a request, please send a completed copy of the OSP Materials Order form to CDPHE_SuicidePrevention@state.co.us. We will do our best to get you what you need, when you need it. However, there may be times when items are delayed or unavailable due to demand. Larger orders may need a bit more time for printing purposes.

Commission Materials

The Suicide Prevention Commission sets our state’s priorities for suicide prevention and recommends suicide prevention strategies that are supported by data, by the lived experiences of people whose lives have been impacted by suicide—including people who have attempted suicide or lost a loved one to suicide, by professionals working across Colorado in multiple fields, and by leading national suicide prevention organizations. 

Click here to view a list of Commissioners, agendas for upcoming meetings, the Commission’s equity commitment, meeting minutes, and more. Please share the Commission's recommendations with your partners and networks!

Man Therapy Materials

Man Therapy is an online resource using “manspeak” and humor to target men at risk for depression and suicide. A fictional Dr. Rich Mahogany cuts through the stigma of mental health with straight talk and practical advice. Man Therapy is designed to 1) change the way men think and talk about suicide and mental health, 2) provide men and their loved ones with tools to empower them to take control of their overall wellness, and 3) reduce the number and rate of suicide deaths among men. Man Therapy posters, stickers, coasters, and more may be requested using the OSP Materials Order form. 

Operation Veteran Strong Materials

Operation Veteran Strong is a digital platform created to connect veterans with local and state support.  Operation Veteran Strong covers topics including finance and transition from service to mental health services and local treatment centers. Operation Veteran Strong posters and wallet cards may be requested using the OSP Materials Order form.

Media as Partners in Preventing Suicide

Research shows that how media covers suicide can influence behavior negatively or positively. Exposure to portrayals of suicide that include graphic details and do not convey that suicide is the result of complex contributing community-level factors can negatively influence those already experiencing suicide risk factors or who have been impacted by suicide. If the media communicates stories of hope, resilience, and  prevention, it can ultimately save lives.

Media reports and portrayals can also promote help-seeking behavior, connect people to messages of hope and healing, and provide valuable community resources, like crisis center locations and phone numbers. Coverage that integrates important messages, including the fact that the majority of people who experience thoughts of suicide do not go on to attempt or die by suicide, can provide readers with narratives that there are ways to survive suicidal despair.

Media guidelines developed by leading national experts and organizations can be found at www.reportingonsuicide.org and suicidology.org/media/toolkits-and-briefs/.

OSP Activities this NSPAM

Read below to discover the free, publicly available resources OSP has to offer!

The Suicide Prevention Commission’s Older Adults Workgroup meets the first Wednesday of every month from 9:00-10:00. Join us for our next meeting on September 7, 2022 using the Zoom link here (Meeting ID: 823 8095 7088 Passcode: 334370). To register for this workgroup, including calendar invitations to meetings and email updates, please use this form.

The Colorado VA Suicide Prevention Summit will be held virtually Wednesday, September 7, 2022 from 9:45-2:30. Eric Jones and Dymond Ruybal will be representing OSP at the State Resources for Colorado Veterans and Their Supporters presentation during Session 3!

Zero Suicide is a framework for safety and quality improvement in heath care, rooted in the belief that suicide deaths among people receiving care in health systems are preventable. All Colorado health systems are welcome to join monthly learning collaborative discussions, explore training and networking opportunities, and connect with the OSP about challenges and opportunities in suicide prevention. The next Zero Suicide Learning Collaborative discussion will take place Thursday, September 22, 2022. Please email Conlin.Bass@state.co.us to learn more and get involved. More information can also be found on the Zero Suicide page of our website.

Do you provide ongoing behavioral and/or mental healthcare here in Colorado? Are you familiar with the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS) framework? The OSP is pleased to announce that we will be hosting a BONUS free, virtual CAMS training for Colorado providers on Tuesday, September 27, 2022.  Please feel free to apply yourself, or share this application link with your partners. 

*Please note that space is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis, and spots are filling up fast! Submitting an application does not guarantee your space. OSP staff will reach out to applicants to confirm registration. Click here to be notified of future CAMS trainings.

To our Colorado communities: Locate a CAMS TRAINED clinician

who can help you or your loved one.

The Suicide Prevention Commission’s Postvention Workgroup meets the fourth Tuesday of every other month (January, March, May, July, September, & November) from 2:00-3:00. Join us for our next meeting on September 27, 2022 using the Zoom link here (Meeting ID: 832 0892 7880 Passcode: 128053). To register for this workgroup, including calendar invitations to meetings and email updates, please use this form.

The Office of Suicide Prevention 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, asynchronous, interactive training program that gives you the skills and knowledge to keep family, friends, co-workers, and others safe from suicide. 

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. Please visit the Training page of our website for more information.

The Office of Suicide Prevention Expands Colorado-National Collaborative

After releasing a funding application for the CNC earlier this year, the Office of Suicide Prevention is pleased to announce that we have added two new organizations to the project. Jefferson Center for Mental Health serving Jefferson, Clear Creek, and Gilpin Counties and the Tri-County Health Network serving San Miguel, Ouray, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Montrose, and Delta counties have been selected from a competitive group of applicants to join the CNC team starting in September 2022. Our two new grantees will join existing agencies representing El Paso, La Plata, Larimer, Mesa, Montezuma and Pueblo counties. Congratulations and thank you for your commitment to suicide prevention work in Colorado!

Open Seats on the OSP Suicide Prevention Commission

Interested in joining the Suicide Prevention Commission? There are vacant seats we are looking to fill from the following communities:

• Law Enforcement
• Interfaith Organization
• Colorado Business Community
• Philanthropic Community (seat opening October 2022)

If you are interested in applying for one of these open positions please click here. We look forward to hearing from you.

Keep an eye out for our regularly scheduled September Newsletter 

coming later this month for more updates and opportunities! Contact us at CDPHE_SuicidePrevention@state.co.us with any questions.