2013 Texas Suicide Prevention Symposium
Announcing the Texas Suicide Prevention Symposium: Coming Together to Care 2013 will be held on July 10th at the Dallas Marriott at Las Colinas in Irving, Texas. For more information and to register, use the following link: http://texassuicidepreventionsymposium2013.eventbrite.com
Coping with tragic events
Mental Health America of Texas joins Americans in mourning the loss of those killed and injured in the tragic West, Texas, and Boston Marathon Explosions and in the shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. We do know that tragic events impact families, the community and the nation. Many may feel at risk and may experience feelings of anxiety and fear. Parents may be groping with how to discuss these and similar events with their children. The National Disaster Distress Helpline is a 24 hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week national service that offers phone- and text-based crisis counseling and support to people in distress related to any natural or human-caused disaster, to help them move forward on the path of recovery. You may reach the Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 or by texting "TalkWithUs" or ("Hablanos" for Spanish-speaking) to 66746.
Further resources have been compiled by the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (sprc.org):
- Disaster Distress Helpline
- Crisis Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Resource Center
- Restoring a Sense of Safety in the Aftermath of a Mass Shooting: Tips for Parents and Professionals, from the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress.
- Helping your children manage distress in the aftermath of a shooting
- Managing your distress in the aftermath of a shooting
- Five Questions on the Tucson, Ariz., Shootings for Psychologist Joel Dvoskin, PhD **please see # 3 question and response
Helpful Hints for School Emergency Management:
- Psychological First Aid (PFA) for Students and Teachers: Listen, Protect, Connect - Model & Teach
- Listen, Protect, Connect - Model and Teach - Psychological First Aid for Teacher and Students
- After a Loved One Dies - how children grieve and how parents and other adults can support them
- School Crisis Guide: Help and Healing in a Time of Crisis
ONLINE INTERACTIVE TRAININGS AVAILABLE FOR TEXAS SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES
Middle Schools and High Schools
The interactive training simulations helps educators build skills and confidence to identify and refer students in psychological or suicidal distress and is available only to Texas public middle and high school educators.
The free training will help high school faculty and administrators understand their role in identifying common signs and symptoms of psychological distress and have the confidence to take appropriate action, such as a referral to the school counselor. The one-hour At-Risk trainings uses a research-based approach and proven techniques for identifying and approaching distressed students in order to take appropriate action.
Trainings are open only to those affiliated with Texas public high schools. If you have a special request, please contact Mary Ellen Nudd, menudd@mhatexas.org.
- At-Risk for High School Educators (Texas public high schools only)
- At-Risk for Middle School Educators (Texas public middle schools only)
Texas Colleges and Universities
Texas educational institutions that are interested in having free online trainings available for students and faculty, please contact Mary Ellen Nudd, menudd@mhatexas.org.
True Stories of Hope and Help Videos Online Now
Mental Health America of Texas announces the availability of five short videos featuring youth and young adults from central Texas sharing their stories of hope and help. These videos feature the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number and follow their guidelines for suicide prevention.
These true stories are from high school or college age youth who have either reached out for help themselves when they were severely depressed and having suicidal thoughts, or from teens who have reached out to help a friend who was thinking of suicide.
The videos are sponsored by the Texas Suicide Prevention Council and Mental Health America of Texas in partnership with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the Texas Department of State Health Services and the Austin Travis County Suicide Prevention Coalition.
View the 4-minutes videos:
| You Can Never Count the Stars: Shania and Sydney’s True Story of Help and Hope | Always Tell Someone: Krista’s True Story of Help and Hope for Teen Suicide Prevention |
| ASK the Question: Kurt’s True Story of Help and Hope for College Suicide Prevention | Good Friends are Essential: Zach’s True Story of Help and Hope for College Suicide Prevention |
| Ribbons of Hope: Maggie’s True Story of Help and Hope for Teen Suicide Prevention | Videos are also available on You Tube - http://www.youtube.com/mhatexas For more information click here. |
Free,
Small & Easy App to Save Lives Around You
Now
Available on iTunes!
Mental Health America of Texas is proud to announce a small iPhone App for suicide prevention which is freely distributable everywhere.
This app was developed from a non-proprietary suicide prevention training program called ASK (ASK about suicide / Seek more information / Know where to refer) which was also developed by Mental Health America of Texas. The suicide prevention app is supported by the Texas Department of State Health Services and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
We urge you to take a moment and download this app, because when you or your friends are in crisis, a shortcut to the right help can make a huge difference in its outcome.
Learn easy steps to help prevent suicide in your community right now. Click the link above to open iTunes and download, or search "suicide prevention" in the App Store on your iPhone or iPod Touch.
You really can help save a life!
Coming Together To Care
Suicide in Texas is a serious public health concern-and one that might be addressed successfully through a coordinated and comprehensive approach aimed at prevention.
Consider the toll it is taking on our state:
Ask the Question
Everyone in Texas can be a "gatekeeper" and help save a life by talking about suicide prevention. We call this the ASK suicide prevention process. Asking someone about suicide ("are you considering taking your life", Seeking more information about their situation and Referring them to help can save a life.
The heightened period of suicidality is a matter of hours so anything you can do to make it more difficult can prevent someone from completing a suicidal act. In addition, means restriction can make a difference and make it more difficult for individuals to kill themselves. Since firearms are the predominant means to suicide in Texas, locking them up or securing them with a trigger lock saves lives. Medication should also be kept in a secure area.


