Suicide Awareness-Voices Of Education

TO PREVENT SUICIDE THROUGH PUBLIC AWARENESS AND EDUCATION, REDUCE STIGMA AND SERVE AS A RESOURCE TO THOSE TOUCHED BY SUICIDE.

SAVE'S OUTREACH EFFORTS EXTEND TO COMMUNITY AND PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION, FURTHER AMPLIFYING OUR MESSAGE. SAVE STAFF EDUCATED COMMUNITIES AND INDIVIDUALS ON THE SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL ILLNESSES LINKED TO SUICIDE, WARNING SIGNS OF SUICIDE, AND INTERVENTION STRATEGIES. THE GREEN BANDANA PROJECT IS A SUICIDE PREVENTION PROGRAM IN WHICH HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS ARE TRAINED TO REFER THEIR AT-RISK PEERS TO AVAILABLE MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION RESOURCES. AFTER A SHORT ORIENTATION AND BASIC SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAINING, STUDENT PARTICIPANTS DISPLAY A LIME-GREEN BANDANA ON THEIR BACKPACK, BAG, OR CLOTHING, SIGNIFYING THEY HAVE PLEDGED TO BE A SAFE, KNOWLEDGEABLE INDIVIDUAL TO APPROACH FOR INFORMATION ON MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION RESOURCES. THE GREEN BANDANA PROJECT HAS CHAPTERS AT 28 COLLEGES AND 13 HIGH SCHOOLS. BEYOND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, OUR SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS (LET'S TALK ABOUT IT!) ASSISTS A GROUP IN DEVELOPING A FORUM ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH, WELLNESS, AND SUICIDE PREVENTION FOR PARENTS, FAITH COMMUNITIES, CIVIC GROUPS, AND NONPROFITS. ANNUALLY, SAVE RESPONDS TO HUNDREDS OF INFORMATION REQUESTS ACROSS VARIOUS SETTINGS, INCLUDING CIVIC EVENTS, PROFESSIONAL GATHERINGS, FAITH-BASED FORUMS, BUSINESSES, CONFERENCES, AND SCHOOLS. IN 2023, SAVE REACHED AN ESTIMATED IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL AUDIENCE OF 15,000 THROUGH SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS, AWARENESS EVENTS, WORKPLACE TRAININGS AND MORE.

SAVE MAINTAINS A SET OF EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS NATIONWIDE. THESE RESOURCES INCLUDED WALLET CARDS WITH QR CODES LINKING TO DIGITAL RESOURCES AS WELL AS BOOKLETS. IN 2023, SAVE BEGAN THE PROCESS OF UPDATING ALL MATERIALS FOR REPUBLICATION BEGINNING IN 2024. TO CONTINUE PROVIDING MUCH NEEDED RESOURCES, SAVE DEVELOPED A SET OF ONE-PAGE RESOURCES AND PROVIDED THEM FREE OF CHARGE. HUNDREDS OF COPIES OF EACH OF THE 10 RESOURCE DOCUMENTS WERE PROVIDED FOR INDIVIDUALS, MENTAL HEALTH FAIRS, AND ORGANIZATIONS.

SAVE PROVIDES SUPPORT AND COMMUNITY FOR SUICIDE LOSS SURVIVORS THROUGH SEVERAL EFFORTS. SAVE MAINTAINS A PUBLICLY SEARCHABLE SUPPORT GROUP DATABASE WITH OVER 375 NATIONWIDE LISTINGS, FACILITATING CONNECTIONS AMONG SUICIDE LOSS SURVIVORS. AT REQUESTS FROM ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS, SAVE DISTRIBUTES GRIEF PACKETS TO FAMILIES, CONTAINING INFORMATION ABOUT SUICIDE GRIEF AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. LOSS SURVIVOR FAMILIES ARE ALSO ABLE TO SET UP MEMORIAL FUNDS IN NAME OF THE PERSON THEY LOST TO SUICIDE, WITH SAVE HOSTING MEMORIAL PAGES FOR EACH TRIBUTE. THESE PAGES ALLOW FAMILIES TO INCLUDE PHOTOS AND BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR LOVED ONE. SAVE MAINTAINED OVER 150 LIVE PAGES IN 2023, WITH HUNDREDS OF OTHER MEMORIALS OPTING FOR THE PHYSICAL MEMORIAL IN SAVE'S OFFICE ONLY, IN LIEU OF THAT AND THE ONLINE PAGE. THESE INITIATIVES ARE CRUCIAL FOR SUPPORTING INDIVIDUALS IN COPING WITH SUICIDE BEREAVEMENT, FOSTERING HEALING, AND BUILDING RESILIENCE.