Oakland County Suicide Prevention Plan

Oakland County

Suicide Prevention Plan

Version 1.2 (revised 3/10/08)

INFORMATIONAL GOALS

Goal #1: Develop broad based support for suicide prevention.

1.1 Develop a systemic relationship with the Michigan Suicide Prevention Coalition

1.2 Increase partnership with public and private schools across the county

1.3 Reach out to the faith-based community leadership for support

1.4 Develop coalition representation for the elderly, veterans, people with disabilities, survivors, all races and ethnicities representative of the Oakland County population

Goal #2: Promote awareness and reduce stigma.

2.1 Develop a core of speakers that support a utilization of common language in the presentation of the county suicide prevention strategies

2.2 Develop a county wide repository system to capture information of what local partners have done in the area of suicide prevention

2.3 Create a WE mentality around the prevention plan

2.4 Develop a website system of linkage for partners to share

2.5 Create common language for all printed materials that all partners can have easy access to and share that is written for all populations

2.6 Identify, develop and strengthen a correspondence network utilizing traditional, non-traditional, and new technologies to spread information.

Goal #3: Improve recognition of and response to high risk individuals within Oakland County.

3.1 Saturate community with written materials

3.2 Increase the number of community presentations on service delivery systems working on suicide prevention in such places as: faith community, libraries, kid friendly hang-outs, medical community, front line social workers, nurse practitioners, in-home nurses, and substance abuse treatment facilities

3.3 Develop common language on what to look for – signs & signals of suicide

3.4 Develop a broad based approach to reach out and provide behavioral health training to front line staff in the medical community

EDUCATIONAL GOALS

Goal #4: Identify, develop and implement community-based suicide prevention programs.

4.1 Develop a system of tracking and documenting what has been accomplished

4.2 Design an evaluative approach to measure what is being accomplished

Goal #5: Promote efforts to reduce access to lethal means and methods.

5.1 Enhance partnerships with law enforcement, policy makers and first responders by inviting them to join and actively participate in the coalition

5.2 Develop printed materials with common language message to display at local retailers of firearms

5.3 Identify and support groups already involved with reducing access to lethal means

Goal #6: Identify and promote best practices for suicide prevention / intervention.

6.1 Increase and actively pursue making suicide prevention training available to gatekeepers

6.2 Research and communicate a set of state and/or nationally recognized core competencies in suicide prevention field including the provision of support groups

6.3 Enhance/update the county wide system of procedures & protocols within public and private schools on what to do when….

6.4 Saturate the public and private school system teaching and counseling staff with a copy of the OCCMHA printed resource manual

6.5 Increase the number of staff in-services to public and private school personnel

Goal #7: Provide training to professionals regarding best practices and community protocols.

7.1 Locate additional resources to enhance the prevention activities throughout the county to reach these objectives

7.2 Increase trainings as described above

ACTION GOALS

Goal #8: Improve access to and community linkages with mental health and substance abuse services.

8.1 Increase the development of culturally, religiously and ethnically sensitive materials in the Arabic, Hispanic, Deaf and Special Needs communities

8.2 Increase outreach to target populations with cultural and ethnic sensitivity to understanding the issue of suicide within each community

8.3 Promote the crisis hotline (800-231-1127) in every document (including written docs, newsletters, videos, etc.) and every event associated with the Oakland County Human Services Collaborative Coordinating Council and the Oakland County Suicide Prevention Coalition

8.4 Encourage all members of the Oakland County Human Services Collaborative Coordinating Council, their subcontractors and affiliates, and the Oakland County Suicide Prevention Coalition to include the crisis hotline (800-231-1127) or other emergency contact information on all public documents they publish

Goal #9: Provide support services to families, schools and others who had a relationship or involvement with victim.

9.1 Increase the partnership with Hospice and its volunteers and employees

9.2 Communicate the existence of suicide support groups and bereavement trainings throughout the community

9.3 Increase the partnership with the local hospital Chaplaincy ministries

9.4 Provide outreach to funeral homes personnel on community efforts

9.5 Develop, promote, and implement a response plan that is integrated with all relevant response agencies and individuals in Oakland County

Goal #10: Create, improve and expand data collection systems.

10.1 Open dialogue to discuss a county wide system to track and document suicides and attempts

10.2 Create a systemic model that addresses the means for collecting data

10.3 Adopt and advocate for use of common language and reporting techniques to aid in collection of suicide-related data

10.4 Explore the development of a professional team to analyze and review the data and to make recommendations from this review

INTRODUCTION:

As Michigan’s second largest county by population, Oakland County has more hospitals, doctors, social service organizations, faith-based organizations, fraternal organizations, and schools than in all of Northern Michigan and many rural states.

One might think that implementing a county-wide suicide prevention plan would be easy based on our many resources. On the contrary. It has made it much more difficult. There is no “central hub”. Agencies/Organizations/Institutions are not aware of each other and what services are available. Therefore, individuals looking for help oftentimes run into a brick wall with their efforts to reach out for help. Additionally, many agencies/organizations/institutions are in the position of competing with each other for what little diminishing sources of funding are available. This has fostered a spirit of competition rather than a spirit of cooperation.

The Oakland County Suicide Prevention Coalition (OCSPC) seeks to create this “central hub” and foster a spirit of cooperation for the county through the Oakland County Suicide Prevention Plan. This plan is not intended to be a static document. It can, and will, change as the needs and resources available within our county change. Through the identification of needs and resources, the OCSPC will continuously tailor the plan to best fit the needs of our community.

We recognize the need to increase our membership and outreach efforts to include groups and populations that represent all of Oakland County both in our coalition and in our plan. We wish to extend a request/plea for anyone who can assist in our endeavor to participate in any way they are able. Together we can make a difference. Together we can save lives.

GOALS & OBJECTIVES:

Oakland County Suicide Prevention Coalition

The OCSPC Mission is to reduce suicides and suicide attempts across the lifespan in Oakland and surrounding counties through information, education and action.

Latest update on
7/20/2009 4:44 PM
by M. Branstrom