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SAMHSA's 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is now live. Learn more and access the Partner Toolkit on the SAMHSA website:

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline | SAMHSA

Bulletin Submission

Suicide has impacted most of us at some point in our lives. Sadly, the American suicide rate has increased more than 25% since 1999.  Globally, nearly 800,000 people die by suicide each year. While we are not expected to become mental health counselors, as a community of faith, we can offer support to help prevent the continued increase of death by suicide.

We start by knowing who is at greatest risk.

  •         People with mental health or substance abuse disorders are at greatest risk
  •         Survivors of suicide attempts and family members of victims of suicide
  •         American Indians/Alaskan natives and non-Hispanic white Americans
  •         Older adults
  •         Veterans
  •         LGBTQ persons
  •         Disabled or chronically ill persons
  •         Socially isolated persons
  •         Those without access to behavioral health care

Stressful events such as the pandemic that struck in 2020 paired with access to lethal means such as weapons or drugs increase the risk for loss of life due to suicide.

The Suicide Prevention Resource Center identifies the following Protective Factors in suicide prevention:

  • Effective behavioral health care
  • Connectedness to individuals, family, community, and social institutions
  • Life skills (e.g., problem-solving and coping skills, ability to adapt to change)
  • Self-esteem and a sense of purpose or meaning in life
  • Cultural, religious, or personal beliefs that discourage suicide

Three of these protective factors could be considered a call to service.  Are we supporting our members who have mental health challenges in the same ways we support those who have physical health challenges? Let us prayerfully join together to address suicide prevention in our community by discussing how we can be supportive of each other, practicing listening non-judgmentally, and being open to conversations about mental health to help break the stigma.  

References:

America's Health Rankings analysis of CDC WONDER Online Database, Underlying Cause of       Death, Multiple Cause of Death files, United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, Accessed 2021.

“Step 3: Identify Key Risk and Protective Factors.” Step 3: Identify Key Risk and Protective Factors | Suicide Prevention Resource Center, 2020, www.sprc.org/strategic-planning/key-risk-protective-factors.

Suggested Topics for Faith Community Member Education


Resources

The Action Alliance: Faith.Hope.Life. campaigndeveloped by the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention's Faith Communities Task Force, is an opportunity for every faith community in the United States, regardless of creed, to support suicide prevention.

https://theactionalliance.org/faith-hope-life/take-action

Advice to relieve fears about calling for help.

What REALLY Happens When You Reach Out to Crisis Lines? - Active Minds

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention:

Find a support group | AFSP

International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day | AFSP

Project 2025 | American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (afsp.org)

Crisis Text Line:

How to Deal With Suicide, Get Help - Crisis Text Line

Mental Health America:

MHA Screening | Mental Health America (mhanational.org)

Suicide Articles | Mental Health America Screening 2 Supports (mhanational.org)

The Mental Health Coalition:

Mental-Health_COVID-19-511.pdf (thementalhealthcoalition.org)

Mental Health Ministries: Mental Health Ministries is an interfaith web based ministry to provide educational resources to help erase the stigma of mental illness in our faith communities.

http://mentalhealthministries.net/resources/suicide_resources.html

English Study Guide 5-11.pdf (mentalhealthministries.net)

www.mentalhealthministries.net/resources/study_guide/mental_illness_study_guide_sp.pdf

NAMI: NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.

https://www.nami.org/Get-Involved/Awareness-Events/Suicide-Prevention-Awareness-Month

https://www.nami.org/Get-Involved/NAMI-FaithNet

National Action Alliance: Suicide Prevention Competencies for Faith Leaders

fhl_competencies_v8_interactive.pdf (theactionalliance.org)

The Partnership Center: Center for Faith and Opportunity Initiatives, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:

compassion-in-action.pdf (hhs.gov)

Pathways to Promise:

Warning Signs that a Person is Suicidal | Pathways to Promise (pathways2promise.org)

Products | Pathways to Promise (pathways2promise.org)

SAMHSA:

SAMHSA - Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

National Strategy for Suicide Prevention Implementation Assessment Report (samhsa.gov)

The Surgeon General’s Call to Action TO IMPLEMENT THE NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION:

sprc-call-to-action.pdf (hhs.gov)

Suicide Awareness Voices of Education:

Suicide FAQs – SAVE

Suicide Support Groups – SAVE

The Suicide Prevention Lifeline: offers this guide to Support for Suicidal Individuals on Social and Digital Media

Lifeline-Social-Media-Toolkit-2020.pdf (suicidepreventionlifeline.org)

Lifeline-Storytelling-Checklist.pdf (suicidepreventionlifeline.org)

Suicide Prevention Resource Center:

Suicide Prevention Resource Center (sprc.org)

Thrive NYC:

https://thrivenyc.cityofnewyork.us/toolkit-and-webinars-for-faith-leaders-on-promoting-mental-health

Trauma Healing Institute:

https://cloud.squidex.io/api/assets/thi-beacon/f8368701-6eeb-47d4-9210-36a48d54f938/

https://www.traumahealingbasics.org/three-questions

https://www.traumahealingbasics.org/safe-listeners-promise

WHO: Preventing suicide: A community engagement toolkit

WHO-MSD-MER-16.6-eng.pdf;jsessionid=E6CB4887B55F55A1DBFD969281DEABE9

BIPOC Resources: Because culturally sensitive care matters when searching for a therapist.

BIPOC Mental Health | Mental Health America (mhanational.org)

Minority mental health resources | AFSP

MindRight For youth of color.

Nopcas |

The Steve Fund

Therapists Near Me Online and In Person | Culturally Responsive LGBTQ Affirming Mental Health Care (inclusivetherapists.com) Offers an extensive list of cultures to search for a culturally sensitive therapist.

Asian:

Asian Mental Health Collective (asianmhc.org)

South Asian Mental Health Alliance – Est. 2010 – A non-profit network dedicated to mental health awareness, acceptance, support and empowerment. (samhaa.org)

Black/African American

African Americans | NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness

BEAM – Black Virtual Wellness Directory

Black Mental Health Alliance|

BLHF Resource Guide - The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation (borislhensonfoundation.org)

CBWW

Eustress Inc.

Home - Therapy for Black Men

Mental Health Research and Care - AAKOMA Project

Pretty Brown Girl - Empower A Girl, Empower The World!

Resources (blackgirlssmile.org)

Therapy For Black Girls

Native American

Center for Native American Youth - The Aspen Institute

Home - We R Native

Latinx

Feel Better, Connect with a Latinx Therapist Today (therapyforlatinx.com)

Home | MANA National (hermana.org)

Latinx Therapy

Washington, DC | National Alliance for Hispanic Health | COVID-19 (healthyamericas.org)

LGBTQ: Because sensitivity in a therapist can be lifesaving.

About | Trans Lifeline

Directory | National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network (nqttcn.com)

Find a Chapter | PFLAG

GLBT NATIONAL HELP CENTER - home (glbthotline.org)

How do I find LGBTQ friendly therapy? | Mental Health America Screening 2 Supports (mhanational.org)

LGBTQ | Child Mind Institute

LGBTQI | NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness

The Okra Project

Real Therapy (join-real.com) offers LGBTQ counseling

SAGE – Advocacy & Services for LGBT Elders (sageusa.org)

Supporting Black LGBTQ Youth Mental Health – The Trevor Project

The Trevor Project — Saving Young LGBTQ Lives


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