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Adopt and present a resolution recognizing the week of September 8-14, 2019 as National Suicide Prevention Week in Solano County (Supervisor Vasquez)
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Published Notice Required? Yes _____ No __X__
Public Hearing Required? Yes _____ No __X__
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Department of Health and Social Services (H&SS) recommends the Board adopt and present a resolution recognizing the week of September 8-14, 2019 as National Suicide Prevention Week in Solano County.
SUMMARY:
Suicide is a preventable public health crisis that impacts individuals, families, friends, and the community. Statistics from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention indicate that suicide is the 10th leading cause of death for all ages in the United States and the 2nd leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 10 and 34. From 1999 through 2014, the age-adjusted suicide rate in the United States increased 24%, from 10.5 to 13.0 per 100,000 population, with the pace of increase greater after 2006. Suicide rates increased for both males and females and for people aged 10-74 years. In 2017, 47,173 Americans died by suicide, an average of 129 suicides per day and there are an estimated 1,400,000 suicide attempts each year. In California 4,312 residents died by suicide and suicide deaths result in an estimated $4.2 billion in combined medical and work loss costs in 2017 (Centers for Disease Control).
Suicide is also a significant local public health problem. In 2018, Solano County experienced 62 suicide deaths, a 38% increase from the 45 suicide deaths the previous year. Of the 62 suicide deaths in 2018, 50% were individuals between the ages of 30-59, 82% were men and 39% involved a firearm. Veterans represented 21% of the suicides.
National Suicide Prevention Week also incorporates World Suicide Prevention Day, September 10th, recognized internationally and supported by the World Health Organization.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The costs associated with writing this agenda item and resolution are nominal and absorbed by the department’s FY2019/20 Adopted Budget. The costs associated with preparation and purchase of the resolution materials are included in the Board’s FY2019/20 Adopted Budget.
DISCUSSION:
Solano County Behavioral Health continues to engage in suicide prevention activities under Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) services, supporting the community in the strategies outlined in the Solano County Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan 2017 (Plan). The Plan was created through a comprehensive stakeholder process under the guidance of the Solano County Suicide Prevention Committee and actively involves representatives across all service sectors. The Plan can be found on the County’s website at the link below:
<http://www.solanocounty.com/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?blobid=27271>
With the hope of eventually reaching zero suicide deaths, the Plan has three main goals: 1) increase awareness about suicide; 2) provide strategies to prevent suicide; and 3) act as a guide for public and private entities to work collaboratively to address suicide. Recognizing National Suicide Prevention Week is an important contributor to continued and increased public awareness. Suicide is largely preventable when equipped with the right knowledge and reductions of stigma around mental health and suicide will make it more acceptable to seek help.
Behavioral Health continues to work closely with the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA) Each Mind Matters (EMM) on issues of stigma reduction and suicide prevention. During FY2018/19 staff members from Behavioral Health participated in two statewide suicide prevention learning collaboratives facilitated by EMM: “Strategic Planning for Suicide Prevention” and “Effective Messaging on Suicide Prevention.” EMM provides technical assistance and materials to support counties with suicide prevention efforts. The theme of the 2019 suicide prevention toolkit is “Finding Purpose: Taking Care of Ourselves and Others”.
Suicide Prevention activities completed during FY2018/19 included:
• Behavioral Health, in partnership with California Institute for Behavioral Health Solutions (CIBHS), provided 12 Intro to Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) 8-hour trainings for local law enforcement agencies, training a total of 292 officers.
• Choice in Aging provided 5 suicide prevention trainings for community members. Trainings included 3 rounds of 2-day Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Trainings (ASIST) and 2 safeTALK 3-hour trainings.
• In May staff from both SCOE and Behavioral Health attended a Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) train the trainer (T4T) training.
• Behavioral Health in partnership with Solano County Office of Education (SCOE), provided 8 rounds of ASIST 2-day trainings to combat stigma and educate the community on how to recognize the signs of suicide risk.
• Solano County Office of Education (SCOE) provided 3 safeTALK 3-hour trainings for providers serving youth. Behavioral Health, in partnership with SCOE, distributed 50 suicide prevention toolkits to local middle and high schools across Solano County.
• Behavioral Health provided 2 suicide prevention trainings for 61 County Resource Management staff.
• Behavioral Health, in partnership with members of the Suicide Prevention Committee and local movie theaters, ran suicide awareness public service announcements for fourteen (14) weeks throughout the County. The public service announcements featured short films created by students at Vanden High in Vacaville who earned an award in the statewide 2018 “Directing the Change” film contest, which is organized by EMM.
• Behavioral Health conducted outreach to local coffee shops and bar establishments to distribute coffee sleeves and bar coasters developed by EMM highlighting the “Know the Signs” suicide prevention campaign intended to target middle-aged men who are at the highest risk of suicide.
• A Suicide Prevention Committee member, in partnership with Behavioral Health, held the International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day on November 17, 2018.
• A Behavioral Health staff member provided 12 trainings on recognizing the signs of depression/anxiety and suicide prevention to 395 students in Dixon, Vallejo, Fairfield and Vacaville high schools.
Pending or ongoing suicide prevention activities include:
• Behavioral Health continued outreach to local businesses that sell firearms and firing ranges in Solano County to redistribute firearm safety brochures, which were developed in partnership between Behavioral Health, Solano County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office, and local firearms instructors. The brochure includes information on how to approach a friend or family member who owns a firearm and may be experiencing an emotional crisis in order to encourage the individual to store his/her firearm offsite. Additionally, the brochure includes the following suicide prevention resources: the 24-hour National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number, the local Crisis Stabilization Unit address and phone number, and the Solano County Behavioral Health Access Line number.
• Behavioral Health and community partners continue to distribute stigma reduction and suicide prevention materials countywide.
• Behavioral Health partners with SCOE to distribute the “2019 National Suicide Prevention Week” school toolkits to middle and high schools in Solano County.
• Behavioral Health and our partner agencies, including Choice in Aging and SCOE, continue to provide trainings on stigma reduction and suicide awareness.
• Behavioral Health will sponsor a safeTALK T4T which will be offered to several community partners, including local law enforcement departments, to better equip officers for working with individuals who may be suicidal, including their own colleagues.
• The International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day will be held on November 24, 2019.
• In August and first two weeks of September, Behavioral Health staff and members of the Suicide Prevention Committee will conduct outreach to local businesses that sell firearms to redistribute firearm safety brochures, and local coffee shops and bar establishments to redistribute the “Know the Signs” coffee sleeves and bar coasters.
• On September 21, 2019 Living Hope church in Dixon will be hosting a suicide prevention conference, “2019 Awareness Conference: Mental Health & Suicide,” that will be open to the public.
• Behavioral Health, in partnership with Fairfield Police Department and NAMI Solano, is developing a 40-hour CIT training curriculum based on the nationally recognized Memphis model. This 40-hour CIT training will be offered to all local law enforcement agencies, including deputies working in the local jails. Behavioral Health will continue to provide the 8-hour Intro to CIT trainings for local law enforcement agencies.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board may choose not to adopt and present the resolution. This is not recommended because the resolution is an opportunity to raise awareness and promote community discussion regarding suicide prevention.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Solano County Suicide Prevention Committee is comprised of behavioral health providers, law enforcement, faith-based organizations, Solano County Public Health and healthcare providers, local education agencies, and veteran and active military representatives.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION