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.
The Suicide Prevention Work Group met in February to discuss the vision and mission statements for the workgroup. The group also discussed the expired state suicide prevention plan and evaluated current activities. During their May and June meetings, the Work Group discussed the history of suicide prevention in Guam and completed a resource mapping exercise to identify the vulnerable populations and existing prevention, intervention, postvention, and referral resources. The Group also identified the resources service providers have and need, both internal and external. In November, the Group identified key stakeholders who will be invited to join the coalition.
Suicide Prevention Coalition workshops were held in January to collaboratively shape the mission, vision, values, and structure of Guam’s Suicide Prevention Coalition, an initiative grounded in cultural and community-centered values.
Samantha Taitano was hired, through the 988 grant, as the consultant for the Suicide Prevention State Plan. A plan was drafted and presented at the GoPEACE conference in September. The plan will be presented to the PEACE Council for comments and recommendations, followed by submission to the Governor for adoption.
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 Adventures Childcare, Adventures Youth Center, Andersen Middle School, Catholic Social Services, Department of Agriculture, Department of Integrated Services for Individuals with Disabilities, Department of Public Health and Social Services and Bureau of Health Care Financing Administration, Guam Amateur Baseball Association, GBHWC, Guam Alternative Lifestyle Association (GALA), Guam Army National Guard, Guam Community College, Guam Department of Education, Guam Fire Department, Guam Memorial Hospital Authority, Guam Regional Medical City, Health Services of the Pacific, Mayor’s Council of Guam, Office of Homelessness Assistance and Poverty Prevention, Ordot Elementary School, Sanctuary Inc., Seventh Day Adventist Clinic, Science Is Fun and Awesome Learning Academy Charter School, University of Guam and I’Pinangon, Untalan Middle School, and WestCare Pacific Islands. GFOL used five evidence-based programs—Adult Mental Health First Aid (AMHFA), Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), Assessing Managing Suicide Risk (AMSR), LivingWorks START, Raw Coping Power, and SafeTALK—to train direct service providers. 269 direct service providers completed training in Year 5.
No additional follow-up surveys were completed during this review cycle.
RESULTS FROM YEAR 5