November 2024 Call to Action

The monthly newsletter of the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network (TSPN)

Call to Action

This month, TSPN continues the coordination of a special classroom series of virtual Zero Suicide information sessions. This seven-part series provides a foundational overview of the Zero Suic ide framework.

These sessions are geared toward those curious about Zero Suicide with little or no knowledge of the framework. Agencies that have already adopted Zero Suicide but need assistance implementing certain steps may also benefit. We especially want to increase engagement with agencies and providers in rural parts of Tennessee.

For this month's Call to Action, please contact and encourage others to reach out to TSPN’s Report Analyst Lisa Kling at LKling@tspn.org for registration or details about previous sessions. We plan to provide more advanced sessions later in the year. The entire series schedule is available below.

With gratitude,

Anna C. Sever

Data - Driven Quality Improvement in Zero Suicide, 10/7/2024, 10:00am – 11:30am CDT

Zero Suicide: Lead, Train, Identify, Engage & Treat, 10/14/2024, 10:00am – 10:40am. This is a combination of small videos discussing five elements of Zero Suicide
Leading Change Toward Better Suicide Care Management, The Zero Suicide Bullseye, Zero Suicide in Health and Behavioral Health Care, Why Train, Screening Protocol at Centerstone, Modifying your Electronic Health Records, Suicide Care Insights, EBPs in Indian Country

Zero Suicide Outcomes and Opportunities, 10/21/2024, 10:00am – 11:00am CDT

Getting Further with Zero Suicide: Care Pathways
Part 1, 10/28/2024, 10:00am -11:00am CDT
Part 2, 11/4/2024 , 10:00am – 11:00am CDT
Part 3, 11/18/2024, 10:00am -11:00am CDT
Part 4, 11/25/2024, 10:00am -11:00am CDT

In this issue

Report on our Survivors of Suicide Loss Conference
Details about our statewide billboard project
Photos of TSPN activities and projects across the state

and more!

Survivors of Suicide Loss Conference

TSPN's annual event for survivors of suicide loss took place on November 2 at the Ed Jones Auditorium in the Ellington Agricultural Center complex in Nashville. Roughly 70 people were in attendance.

We dedicated this year's "Love Never Dies" Memorial Quilt, and we provided guests with loved ones pictured on the quilt with framed copies of the panels they submitted. We plan to mail out panels to those who contributed panels but could not attend the event. See our website for more information about the quilt and how you can submit a panel for next year's quilt.

Speakers during this year's panel discussion addressed various aspects of suicide grief, taking questions from guests. Advisory Council Chair Sean Jones (far left) moderated the segment. Panelists pictured from left to right: Janie Mabrey, Erika Santucci, Christy Sentell, and Woody Woodruff.

This year's event included a butterfly board, where guests had the option of adding their loved one's name in remembrance.

Best-selling singer-songwriter Chase McDaniel graced our event with a three-piece set, including a song not previously released.

Keynote speakers Harry and Jenny Bruell co-wrote The After Journey: A Survivor's Guide After the Death of a Loved One By Suicide, which has proved immensely popular with local suicide grief support groups. The Bruells traveled all the way from Santa Barbara, California, to join us for this event. Copies of the After Journey were provided to contributors to this year's quilt. Paperback copies of the After Journey are available at Amazon.

Following the event at the auditorium, TSPN welcomed guests at the TSPN office for viewing of the International Suicide Memorial Wall. Details about the Wall, including how to contribute a tile honoring your lost loved one, are available on the TSPN website.

TSPN thanks the Tennessee Department of General Services for its cooperation in providing a venue for this event. We are also indebted to Dr. Barb Sims for donating breakfast and for Sonja Redding of Imagine Laserworks for partially sponsoring lunch for our guests. We also want to thank Janie Mabrey for coordinating this year's art activity segment.

TSPN 988 Billboard Project

Taylor Murmann, our East Regional Director, coordinated the design and installation of these billboards at high-traffic intersections in Greene, Rutherford, Washington, and Weakley Counties. Check them out at:

Johnson City:

North Roan Street south of the Hwy11E/36 Split in

West Market Street east of McKinley Church Road

West Market Street and John Exxum Parkway

Smyrna:

On Murfreesboro Pike, about 2.3 miles south of Nissan Drive

Suicide Prevention Awareness Month Across Tennessee

South Central Region

South Central Regional Director Mary Anne Christian (second from right) and volunteer facilitator Michelle West (far left) co-led an ASIST training session for Cumberland Heights on September 12-13. Contact the TSPN central office at tspn@tspn.org to arrange a training session in ASIST or another training module for your agency.

Jasper, Mary Anne’s service dog-in-training, temporarily took over TSPN’s booth at the Out of the Darkness Walk for Coffee County, held September 21 in Manchester. TSPN was pleased to partner with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) Tennessee for several of the walks held across Tennessee this fall.

TSPN held its 3rd Annual Answering the Call First Responder Suicide Prevention Conference at the Drury Inn in Franklin on October 17-18, with over 130 first responders and mental health professionals in attendance. Here, former co-chair Doug Pardue addressed the crowd with this year's co-chairs in the background: South Central Regional Director Mary Anne Christian (left) and Brady Lutton of the Murfreesboro Fire Department.

Additionally, Mary Anne Christian represented TSPN at the Tennessee Psychiatric Association’s annual conference held at the Franklin Marriott Cool Springs on October 19-21.

Mid-Cumberland Region

Mid-Cumberland Regional Director Darrell Bouldin worked an exhibit at Nashville Black LGBTQIA+ Pride's Unity Market and Day Party, held October 26 at the Millennium Maxwell House.

The LGBTQIA+ community is among the high-risk suicide demographics selected for focus by our Elevated Risk Suicide Prevention Task Force. Contact Darrell at dbouldin@tspn.org for more information about the Task Force or other high-risk suicide groups.

Southwest Region

On October 25, our Southwest Region staged "Regaining Our Footing: Creating Wellness in Ourselves and Our Communities" at Freed Hardeman University in Henderson. This event provided people recovering from physical, emotional, or spiritual challenges to discover how to empower both themselves and their communities. The event included a panel discussion on the five dimensions of wellness (see below).

Pictured from left to right at top: Lynn Julian of Bradford Health, Treasurer of TSPN's Advisory Council; Southwest Regional Director Emily Lunn; and former Southwest Regional Director Lindsey Carr, now the Primary Prevention Specialist for the Tennessee Army National Guard.

Donation acknowledgment

TSPN was one of several nonprofits selected for the Charity Basket event held at the Frito-Lay plant in Pulaski this past month. We thank the Frito-Lay employees who donated to TSPN during this campaign, alongside Justin Juenemann, the plant's Human Resources manager, for coordinating this donation.

Donating to TSPN is one of many ways you can support the life-changing, life-saving work we perform across the state. Find out how you can contribute to our work via the donation page on our website.

The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services and the Tennessee Department of Veterans Services are teaming up for an important event around veteran suicide prevention. The event on November 19 at the Wilma Rudolph Event Center in Clarksville will feature a film screening, panel discussion, and connection to resources that can save lives and strengthen our community. Let them know you’re coming:

https://stateoftennessee.formstack.com/forms/clarksville

Post-hurricane mental health resources

TSPN is promoting mental health resources available in East Tennessee following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene back in September. Thank you to Regional Directors Cori Johnson of the Northeast Region and Taylor Murmann of the East Region for staying in touch with colleagues in their community who are working tirelessly to respond to people impacted by this disaster.

C-SSRS is a short questionnaire to estimate someone's suicide risk and options for support. Anyone can use it, even if they don't have formal mental health training.

TSPN offers a set of printed quick-reference badges featuring the C-SSRS questions. You can add it to your lanyard with your other badges or keep it in your wallet. Visit tspn.org/cssrs to order badges for your agency or event or to register for a 1-2 hour training to learn the finer points of the C-SSRS protocol.

UPCOMING REGIONAL MEETINGS

November 14 and December 12

South Central Regional Meeting

Email mchristian@tspn.org for details

November 19 and December 17

Greater Memphis Regional Meeting

Email jjohnson@tspn.org for details

November 19 and December 17

Northwest Regional Meeting

Email ejernigan@tspn.org for details

November 21 and December 19

East Regional Meeting