Edition 51 | August 2022

Welcome to the August 2022 Office of Suicide Prevention newsletter! August is Overdose Awareness Month.

Megan Amasa

Megan is the Colorado Youth Advisory Council's new representative to the Suicide Prevention Commission. In this role, Megan serves as the Co-Chair for the Youth-Specific Initiatives Workgroup for Colorado. A dedicated student at Fairview High School in Boulder, Megan is also committed to upstream suicide prevention. Writing policies through COYAC that help young adults access higher education and mental health resources, Megan is a rockstar at providing opportunities for other young people. Kind and outspoken, Megan is a wonderful advocate for community need. Above all, she is a genuine rockstar in everything she does!

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.

Colorado-National Collaborative

How Strong Partnerships Improved Colorado's Suicide And Overdose Prevention Strategy: This video highlights the Colorado National Collaborative, an innovative effort that brings national, state, and local partners together to mitigate risk factors and build protective factors associated with suicide and overdose. Watch to learn how this collaborative framework is improving prevention efforts in Colorado and how a similar collaborative approach might benefit other states. 

Sources of Strength is excited to offer the FIRST free Coaches Training for Colorado participants. This training is possible through the continued partnership and support of the Colorado Office of Suicide Prevention (OSP) and the Colorado Attorney General's Office (AG) on October 12-13, 2022. Learn more and apply here. Deadline: Monday, October 3, 2022

State Partners

The CDPHE Comprehensive Human Sexuality Education (CHSE) program is excited to share videos featuring Colorado community members sharing their experiences bringing Comprehensive Human Sexuality Education to their schools. Hear directly from students, parents, teachers, administrators, and other experts.

We encourage you to use these to support community conversations around CHSE, help to provide information about what this education includes, and share more on how schools across Colorado can access resources for this work. Visit cdphe.colorado.gov/CHSE for more information and other resources available to support these efforts!

• Rural Voices on CHSE: This video features representatives from rural school districts.
• Urban Voices on CHSE: This video features representatives from urban school districts.

Colorado Behavioral Health Administration: The launch of OwnPath, our new searchable care directory, is a groundbreaking moment. With OwnPath, you can find meaningful care for yourself or someone you care about. You can search for specific services or use a guided search to identify the providers or resources that best meet your needs. You can trust that all providers are correctly licensed, and you can narrow your search by thoughtful and inclusive criteria. Your own path to wellbeing starts right here.

Youth Delinquency Prevention & Intervention Program Grants Funding Opportunity

$2.1 million per year for 2 years, totaling $4.2 million to prevent youth delinquency and criminal justice involvement, reduce the impact on victims of youth crimes, and ensure that all young people in Colorado have an equal opportunity to prosper. Learn more here. DEADLINE TO APPLY: Friday, Sept. 2, 2022

Commission

The Colorado Suicide Prevention Commission had its third meeting of 2022 on July 29th. The Commission passed a new recommendation to: Support comprehensive suicide prevention strategies that specifically address the unique needs and experiences of young adults ages 19-24. Please share this recommendation broadly with your partners!

A full recording of the meeting and additional resources referenced in the meeting can be found in the Commission’s public folder. For information on how to join Commission meetings, as well as for the Commission’s full 2022 schedule, please click here.

The Commission is excited to welcome the new Suicide Prevention Commission Coordinator, Alise Nichols. She joins the Commission with a great commitment to equity services and community mental health efforts. With both personal and professional experience, Alise is dedicated to increasing awareness around suicide prevention efforts in Colorado. 

The Commission would also like to welcome its newest Commissioner, Megan Amasa, who is the new representative from the Colorado Youth Advisory Council! Megan Amasa has great passion for supporting mental health among youth. We are excited for Megan Amasa to join us in our work!

The Commission would like to thank Dan Brite (Law Enforcement) and Aimee Resnick (Colorado Youth Advisory Council), who are rotating off the Commission, for their dedication and service to suicide prevention in Colorado! 

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.

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 September 22nd, 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.

Training

CAMS

The OSP is pleased to announce that we will be hosting  our next free, virtual CAMS trainings 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. Submitting an application does not guarantee your space. OSP staff will reach out to applicants to confirm registration. 

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

Download Mental Health America’s #BeyondTheNumbers BIPOC Mental Health Month toolkit. This toolkit explores the nuances and uniqueness in BIPOC communities and provides information and resources for specific BIPOC communities, calls to action, worksheets, and general resources for BIPOC individuals.

Incorporating Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging into Mental Health First Aid: Historically marginalized communities, such as communities of color, face disproportionate challenges around access to and quality of mental health and substance use care. That makes it crucial to consider how we can continue incorporating DEIB into our MHFA actions. Read some tips from MHFA National Trainers.

"Eye of the Survivor": A PBS12 live mental health storytelling event at the Elaine Wolf Theatre (350 Dahlia Street, Denver) on Tuesday, September 13th from 5-7pm. Through this unique TED Talk-style event, we are bringing to life the experience of people who have lived through suicidal despair and suicide loss. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of and insights to not only what drives people to suicide but more importantly, the many pathways to healing. Register here.

General

Global Initiative on Loneliness and Connection: Position Statements on Addressing Social Isolation, Loneliness and the Power of Human Connection. Describes six position statements and subsequent recommendations for reducing loneliness and isolation as well as promoting social connection.

Suicidal Thoughts among Public Health Workers: The CDC has released a report on symptoms of mental health conditions and suicidal thoughts among state, tribal, local, and territorial public health workers, using data from a survey taken by more than 26,000 public health workers.

Family and Friends Resources: Watching a loved one struggle with thoughts of suicide can be terrifying, and leave family and friends feeling helpless. The amount of information available on the topic can be overwhelming. This new CAMS-care website page offers a few resources to help family and friends get started.

Youth and Young Adults

CAMS-4-Teens: Research and Practice. September 27th. During this free one-hour webinar, Drs. David Jobes and Kevin Crowley will discuss the latest research on using CAMS with adolescents who are experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Register now.

Older Adults

Safe at Home is an online educational resource to help caregivers of persons with dementia maximize safety in the home.

engAGED Community Awareness Toolkit webpage: Learn about the Community Awareness Toolkit and how organizations can incorporate resources and materials into their work. 

Impact of Digital Social Media on the Perception of Loneliness and Social Isolation in Older Adults. Studies from 2014 to 2020 were analyzed for this integrative literature review on older adults’ use of social media and perceptions of loneliness and social isolation. Key findings show social media can play a role in reducing loneliness and limiting the barriers that can contribute to social isolation among older adults.

Older Immigrant Adults’ Experiences with Social Isolation: A Qualitative Interpretive Meta Synthesis. Older immigrants are at risk of social isolation due to linguistic barriers and a lack of social connections in their new home.

Veterans

Colorado VA Suicide Prevention Summit 2022. This free virtual summit explores the efforts and services of state, local, community and Veterans Affairs (VA) that support Coloradans who have served our country. Reach out. Together we will act as one Military family to save and improve the lives of Veterans and Service members. Wednesday, September 7th, 2022. 9:45 am to 2:30 pm MT

Lethal Means Safety

Each year, the El Paso County Coroner's Report and other sources of data reveal an unfortunate relationship between firearms and suicide in our community. Join us to learn from community leaders about how this issue is impacting El Paso County and why securing a firearm can save a life. Food will be provided, and the session will be 1.5-2 hours. Each interested attendee will be entered into a drawing for a free firearm safe. Space is limited to 30 participants, so please visit the following link to register in advance for one of the six workshops offered throughout El Paso County: https://linktr.ee/safefamiliessaferhomes

International Overdose Awareness Day is August 31st. The world’s annual campaign to end overdose, share resources, remember those we've lost, and acknowledge the grief of the family and friends left behind.

Find an Overdose Awareness Day Near You

Plan an Overdose Awareness Day Event

Learn How to Respond to an Overdose Here

Lift The Label is a public awareness campaign that strives to remove damaging labels and stigma that prevent those with opioid addiction from seeking effective treatment. This site is also available in Spanish. 

Bring Naloxone Home: Naloxone stops an overdose and saves lives. Learn more about what it is, how to use it and how to get it. 

On Tuesday, September 20,2022 from 11:00-12:00 MT, Swedish Medical Center’s Dr. Don Stader, Board-Certified emergency room and addiction medicine physician, will present "Frontline Perspectives on the American Opioid Crisis." Please join Suicide Prevention Coalition of Colorado for this FREE virtual presentation. Please click here to register."

Cross-Pollinated Resources

Alcohol and Other Substance Use: Using alcohol with other substances is unsafe and increases the risk of overdose and other health problems.

The Black Men's Project. Saturday, September 10, 2022 from 11:00am-1:00pm MT. Another Life Foundation is excited to announce that Theo Wilson will join us during National Suicide Prevention Month. Along with Frank Sinclair as the MC, and Paul Wiggins and Maresse Clark. These men will be speakers for, "The Black Men's Project." And their conversations will raise awareness and stress the importance of mental health and wellness. Register here or Join in-person at: Midtown Barber Shop. 259 S. Circle Drive. Colorado Springs, CO. 80910

Methods and Measures to Examine the Underlying Mechanisms of Violent Deaths in LGBTQ Populations. September 13th, 2022 from 10:00 - 12:00 MT. The webinar presents methods and measures to enhance data collection efforts on violent deaths among this population.

Colorado Counseling Association Fall 2022 Conference. September 15-17, 2022 @ Copper Mountain Ski Resort in beautiful Frisco, Colorado.

Preventing Suicides: Supporting the Teens in Your Life. Thursday, September 15, 2022, from 5:00 to 6:30 PM MT

Strategic Perspectives Accelerating Real Change. An annual discussion on community, diversity, and youth well being., September 17, 2022 from 9:00 am - 2:00 PM MT. Montrose Pavilion. 

2022 National Loss Team Conference. Postvention Is Prevention. Purdue University Fort Wayne. Fort Wayne, Indiana October 16-18, 2022. Virtual and In-person conference.