Delaware Suicide Prevention Plan

The Delaware Suicide Prevention Coalition created a 5 Year Strategy for suicide prevention, which was recently extended to 2023, to reflect the United States National Suicide Prevention Plan. 

Originally approved by Delaware Suicide Prevention Coalition on Monday, June 17, 2013, the plan’s goals are summarized below.  For more information, contact Jennifer Smolowitz at jsmolowitz@mhainde.org

Overview:

Goal 1 : Integrate and coordinate suicide prevention activities across multiple sectors and settings

Goal 2: Implement research-informed communication efforts designed to prevent suicide by changing knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors

Goal 3: Increase knowledge of the factors that offer protection from suicidal behaviors and that promote wellness and recovery

Goal 4: Promote responsible media reporting of suicide, accurate portrayals of suicide and mental illnesses in the entertainment industry, and the safety of online content related to suicide

Goal 5: Develop, implement, and monitor effective programs that promote wellness and prevent suicide and related behaviors

Goal 6:  Promote efforts to reduce access to lethal means of suicide among individuals with identified suicide risk

Goal 7:  Provide training to community and clinical service providers on the prevention of suicide and related behaviors

Goal 8:  Promote suicide prevention as a core component of health care services

Goal 9:  Promote and implement effective clinical and professional practices for assessing and treating those identified as being at risk for suicidal behaviors

Goal 10:  Provide care and support to individuals affected by suicide deaths and attempts to promote healing and implement community strategies to help prevent further suicides

Goal 11:  Increase the timeliness and usefulness of surveillance systems relevant to suicide prevention and improve the ability to collect, analyze, and use this information for action

Goal 12:  Promote and Support Research on Suicide Behavior and Prevention

Goal 13:  Evaluate the impact and effectiveness of suicide prevention interventions and systems and synthesize and disseminate findings

Delaware Suicide Prevention Coalition

The Suicide Prevention Coalition began efforts in 2004 and enlisted multiple state, private and nonprofit organizations to participate in the effort.

Our ultimate mission is to:

• Raise awareness that suicide is a preventable public health problem

• Enable the behavioral and social changes necessary to reduce suicidal ideation and attempts

DE Suicide Prevention Coalition Members

Amanecer Counseling & Resource Center
https://amanecerde.org/

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
→ https://afsp.org/

ContactLifeline, Inc.
→ www.contactlifeline.org

DE Child Death, Near Death, Stillbirth Commission
→ http://courts.delaware.gov/childdeath/who.htm

Delaware Coalition Against Gun Violence
→ https://www.decagv.org/

DE Department of Corrections
→ http://www.doc.delaware.gov/

DE Department of Education
→ www.doe.k12.de.us

DE Department of Health and Social Services
→ http://dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/

• Delaware Crisis Intervention Services
• Division of Public Health
• Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health

DE Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families

• Division of Prevention and Behavioral Health Services
→ http://kids.delaware.gov/pbhs/pbhs.shtml

DE Department of Veterans Affairs
→ https://vets.delaware.gov/

DE National Guard
→ www.de.ng.mil

Delaware State University
→ www.desu.edu

Delaware Technical Community College
→ https://www.dtcc.edu/

Dover Air Force Base
→ https://www.dover.af.mil/

Dover Behavioral Health
→ https://doverbehavioral.com/

MeadowWood Hospital
→ http://www.meadowwoodhospital.com/

Mental Health Association in DE
→ www.mhainde.org

NAMI – DE
→ https://www.namidelaware.org/

Rockford Center
→ www.rockfordcenter.com

Siegel JCC
→ https://www.siegeljcc.org/

SL24 Foundation
→ https://www.unlockethelight.com/

Smyrna High School
→ https://smyrna.k12.de.us/shs

Sun Behavioral Health
→ https://sunbehavioral.com/delaware/

UMttr
→ http://umttr.org/

University of Delaware

• Center for Counseling and Student Development
→ www.udel.edu/Counseling

• Center for Drug and Health Studies
→ https://www.cdhs.udel.edu/

VA CCN TAI CHI FOR VETERANS
→ http://www.sculpturlife.com/tai-chi-for-veterans

Wilmington University, Community Counseling
→ www.wilmu.edu/behavioralscience/mscc.aspx

YWCA
→ https://www.ywcade.org/

 

Contact

For more information, contact Jennifer Smolowitz at: (302) 654-6833 or jsmolowitz@mhainde.org.