By 2024, Guam will have a 30-person Suicide Prevention Task Force that includes representatives from direct youth-serving providers, first responders, and community members like individuals with lived experience, including survivors of loss, survivors of suicide attempts, youth, and families, which work towards processes and protocols within and among organizations that are suicide-safer and integrated to other services.
GFOL hosted a Town Hall on September 14, 2023, with participants from various community groups and government organizations, including GALA, Hagu Foundation, Guam Department of Education, CME's Office, and other GBHWC divisions.
This meeting served as the launch for establishing the Suicide Prevention Task Force. Participants were invited to the initial meeting, which took place on December 12, 2023. The group reviewed the history of the workgroup. They participated in a brainstorming session to develop a mission statement, an action plan for coalition building and actionable goals.
These goals include providing input on a 988-communication strategy and to guide the CHIP and drafting a new territorial plan for suicide prevention. The Work Group will continue meeting in Year 5..
By 2024, at least 75% of key direct services staff from GBHWC, and as identified by Guam Memorial Hospital (GMH), Division of Child Protective Services/Foster Care System (CPS), Guam Department of Education (GDOE), University of Guam’s Isa Psychological Center (UOG-Isa), Guam Community College’s Law Enforcement, Allied Health and Human Services Academics (GCC), and Department of Youth Affairs (DYA) are trained to identify, screen, refer, treat, and follow-up on individuals experiencing grief and feelings of loss and pain, or having suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
GFOL provided training to GBHWC staff as well as employees of Breaking Wave Theater Company, Catholic Social Services, Department of Agriculture, Department of Education, Department of Public Health and Social Services, Dr. Dimalanta’s Clinic, Duty Free Shoppers, Dystech, Farm to Table GU, Father Duenas Memorial School, Filipino Community Association of Guam, GBHWC, Guam Alternative Lifestyle Association (GALA), Guam Army National Guard, Guam Community College, Guam Housing and Urban Renewal Authority, Guam Office of Veteran’s Affairs, Guam Sex Offender Registry, Guam Sustainable Culture, Guma Mami, Inc., Inarajan Middle School, Judiciary of Guam, Judiciary of Guam-Guam Family Recovery Program, Kupu Conservation Corp/Americorp, Mañe’lu, Northern/Southern Guam SWCD, NSF Navigating Home, Sanctuary Inc., Santa Barbara Catholic School, SIFA Learning Academy, St. Johns School, Todu Guam Foundation, TOHGE/New Beginnings, University of Guam, and WestCare Pacific. GFOL used five evidence-based programs—Adult Mental Health First Aid (AMHFA), ASIST, Assessing Managing Suicide Risk (AMSR), LivingWorks START, SafeTALK and Raw Coping Power (Stress Management)—to train direct service providers. 232 direct service providers completed training in Year 4.
The GFOL team continued collecting data from individuals trained as Natural Helpers and through Workforce Development using follow-up surveys in Year 4.
27 follow-up surveys were collected during the review period;
13 from individuals who identified as natural supports and 13 from individuals who completed training for workforce development;
65.4% of respondents have helped someone exhibiting signs that they might be thinking about suicide;
Seven respondents have assisted someone more than once;
53.9% of respondents have accessed safety resources since their training;
Four respondents accessed resources for themselves;
Ten accessed resources for someone else;
88.9% of respondents indicated confidence in their ability to help someone who might be thinking about suicide, including their willingness to talk to someone who may be thinking about suicide;
92.6% of respondents can recognize signs that someone might be thinking about suicide;
96.3% of respondents know how and where to get help for someone thinking about suicide;
84.6% of respondents believe they are a better helper for someone thinking about suicide after completing their training;
One respondent commented that the training “should be mandatory for most, if not all, staff that deal directly with mental health patients. [It] is a very great tool to utilize in recognizing these patterns.”
RESULTS FROM YEAR 4