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Receive a presentation on the Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan
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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 receive a presentation on the Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan
SUMMARY:
Suicide is a nationwide public health crisis as the 10th leading cause of death for all ages, claiming over 44,000 lives annually and an average of 121 lives per day. Suicide is also a major health concern at the local level. In 2014, the most recent year for available data, there were 643 suicide attempts. In 2016, there were 44 suicides in Solano County and 242 suicides over the past five years.
The purpose of the Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan is to increase awareness about suicide for the broader community and to provide recommended strategies to prevent suicide in our community. This plan was developed by the Solano County Suicide Prevention Committee, with feedback from key community partners through eight community meetings and six targeted focus groups.
Financial Impact:
Solano County Behavioral Health suicide prevention activities are funded through the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) and are included in the Department’s approved FY2017/18 Budget. There is no additional financial impact to the County General Fund.
DISCUSSION:
The Solano County Suicide Prevention Committee consists of County staff and community partners including: mental health consumers including those that have survived suicide attempts; family member survivors; providers representing mental health, substance abuse, and healthcare from both the public and private sectors; law enforcement; community-based organizations; representatives from the faith-based community; education representatives; and concerned community members working towards the goal of preventing suicide through individual outreach and intervention, and organizational and community-wide collaboration. The Suicide Prevention Committee’s goals include:
• Prevent premature deaths due to suicide across the life span.
• Reduce the rates of suicidal attempts and other self-harm behaviors.
• Raise community awareness about suicide and its causes and develop resources that will help reduce suicide rates in the county.
• Examine the present system of care, identify areas of need, and improve linkages between the general community and care providers.
• Increase the visibility, especially among at-risk populations, of the Suicide Prevention Lifeline through outreach, marketing and public relations.
• Create opportunities and partnerships with a shared mission of reducing suicide in Solano County.
Solano County Behavioral Health and the Solano County Suicide Prevention Committee engaged in a comprehensive community stakeholder process in order to create a Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan that contains overarching approaches and recommended strategies endorsed by the community and designed to be utilized by community partners to prevent and respond effectively to suicide.
During the community stakeholder process eight community forums were held in each city with the purpose of identifying gaps in the suicide prevention system and obtaining recommendations from the community to inform the development of strategies to prevent suicide in Solano County. The focus of strategy development was on the following overarching components to suicide prevention:
• Prevention Through Knowledge (Training & Education)
• Community Coordination/Interagency Collaborations
• Phases of Intervention
• Postvention
• Special Priority Populations
• Use of Social Media
• Suicide Prevention in Educational Settings: K-12
The Suicide Prevention Committee and the community identified the following special priority populations to be more at risk for suicide as evidenced by local, state, national suicide statistics, or considered more at risk due to the stigma around mental health for a particular community or a situational life stressor:
• Teens and youth
• Men over age of 50
• Older adults
• Filipino community
• Native American community
• Latino community
• Active and retired first responders
• Women postpartum
• Veterans
• Homeless individuals
• Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and questioning (LGBTQ) community
• Individuals involved with the criminal justice system
• Children and families involved with the child welfare system
In addition to the community forums, six targeted focus groups were held with key stakeholders representing specific special priority populations including; teens/youth, older adults, LGBTQ community; Filipino community; Native American community. For those populations that were identified, but a focus group was not held before the writing of the plan, focus groups will be held in the future to gather input into how to address stigma and to identify strategies to prevent suicide within these communities.
Suicide is largely preventable with the right actions and knowledge about suicide, and with a change in society’s view of suicide that would make it more acceptable to seek help.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board may choose not to adopt and present the resolution or adopt the Suicide Prevention Plan. This is not recommended because the plan provides an opportunity to raise awareness and promote community discussion regarding suicide prevention.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Solano County Suicide Prevention Committee endorses the plan.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION