Executive Summary
Health Issue.
Suicide is a significant health issue in Mesa County, Colorado.The Mesa County suicide rate is 31.4/100,000 and for 15–19-year-olds: 28.0/100,000 which is much higher than the Colorado suicide rate (22.3/100,00;13.9/100,000) and US rate (21.0/100,000; 10.5/100,000) respectively. The chosen public health issue is suicide postvention, supporting suicide survivors of Mesa County which in turn, promotes mental health and suicide prevention. For each death by suicide, 135 persons are exposed, that is 6.9 million annually (Cerel, 2019). As many as 40-50% of people have been exposed to suicide in their lifetime (Fiegelman et al., 2017). The number of suicide survivors in the U.S. is 5.4 million, 1 in 60 Americans in 2019. This number grew by 285, 066 in 2019 (Fiegelman et al., 2017). Suicide Postvention is necessary to reduce risk factors of more suicides occurring and increase the protective factors that provide for support, healing, and recovery of the suicide loss survivors.
Purpose.
The purpose of the project was to create a framework for the Mesa County Suicide Postvention Community Action Plan. The intended outcome was a clearly defined action plan for stakeholders and community that would support and provide for the needs, recovery, and restoration of suicide survivors.
Goals and objectives.
Goals and objectives included: 1) development of a suicide postvention stakeholder communication action plan framework for Mesa County, 2) development of a guide for stakeholders to follow for successful implementation of suicide postvention in their organizations and community, 3) selecting qualitative and quantitative data collection methods, surveys, pre-tests, and post-tests for bringing stakeholder and gatekeeper individuals and collective organizations to the table based on similar programs with proven methods, 4) selecting quantitative and qualitative data collection methods, loss profile and survey data entered into a shared database, for suicide survivors' data regarding relevant suicide survivor data based on similar programs with proven methods, 5) comparing the purpose and programs of national or international suicide postvention programs with NAMI Western Slope suicide postvention, 6) assessing population needs, assets, and capacity data that provides insight into the suicide loss survivor mental health needs of the community, the primary communication plan needs and capacities of Mesa County, and primary needs and capacities for suicide grief counseling and support groups in Mesa County, 7) apply awareness of cultural values and practices to the Developing a Framework and Strategic Plan program design and implementation and make adequate adjustments, 8) appropriately communicating through speaking, writing, and Powerpoint presentation about suicide postvention counseling and support for Mesa County suicide loss survivors, 9) describe factors that influence the processing of suicide survivor information for children age 4-8 and age 10-18, and 10) create and implement methods, focus groups, interviews, and doodle polls, to involve priority stakeholders, counselors, and suicide grief counselors in Mesa County in developing the suicide postvention community plan.
Recommendations from Integrative Analysis.
The key discussion points and recommendations include the fact that suicide is a community crisis, as any similarly identified FEMA crisis, and can be managed well under the structure of a FEMA-type incident action plan. The need to consider the scope of those affected by the suicide is critical to restoration. The difference in suicide grief and recovery of a suicide loss survivor is significantly different than other grief processes. Specific suicide loss grief therapy and support group training is needed for the mental health care community. The mission and goals of NAMI to increase awareness and education and provide support for those with mental illness and their caregivers is furthered by providing opportunity for restoration of mental health and quality of life in suicide survivors. Development of the suicide postvention community action plan will provide a framework for the coalition of stakeholders, that includes NAMI, to meet quarterly to evaluate progress and adjust the postvention program to meet the needs of the loss survivors and the community. The key recommendations would include: 1) the priority of selection and set up of a database to begin data collection and data recording which will support the current and future program success and sustainability, 2) the training of at least two mental health care providers in suicide loss survivor grief therapy and suicide loss specific grief support groups, 3) the continued awareness and educational campaign amongst the workforce, faith-based organizations, and mental health care community, 4) the need to create continued connection and communication with stakeholders and gatekeepers in the community with the goal of forming a coalition of leadership that takes ownership of suicide postvention, and 5) self-care of the stakeholders and volunteers that are supporting the suicide loss survivors. The highlighted discoveries in this project were that successful suicide postvention must address the reach of the suicide - what individuals and groups were impacted, the dose - to what extent were the individual, group, and vulnerable populations impacted, and are stakeholders adequately trained and prepared to carry out comprehensive resource management for loss survivor grief support and recovery for up to two years.