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Home My WebLink AboutC03-133 Eagle River Valley Suicide Prevention,~ Health & Human Services Departm~ (970) 328-8840 FAX (970) 328-8829 TDD (970) 328-8797 www.eagle-county.com May 20, 2003 `~ ~~~ ft~GLf. COUNTY, COLO~fiDO ~~3-~~3-2.~ OLD COURTHOUSE BUILDING P.O. Box 660 551 Broadway Eagle, Colorado 8163 I -0660 1. Identify the applicant agency including: Agency Name: Eagle County Government Contact Person and Title: Kathleen Forinash, Director, Health and Human Services Address: PO Box 660 Eagle, CO 81631 Phone and fax: (970) 328-8858 fax: (970) 328-8829 Email: forinash@eagle-county.com 2. Describe the applicant organization, including its tax-exempt status The applicant organization is the Eagle County Health & Human Services Department of Eagle County government. 3. What community will be sewed: who is the target population? The Eagle River Valley portion of Eagle County will be served through these suicide prevention efforts. The heaviest suicide prevention emphasis will be focused toward Eagle County youth living within the boundaries of the Eagle County School District. 4. Why have you identified suicide as a problem in your community and target population? YVhat would success look like and what needs to change to accomplish that? In the fall of 2001 the Eagle River Youth Coalition facilitated the implementation of a high school attitude and behavior survey called "Eagle CARES." The results surrounding suicide ideation and depression were very concerning: • Thirty percent of surveyed Eagle County youth report that in the past year they have felt depressed or sad most days. (28% nationally) • Twenty seven percent of surveyed Eagle County youth (36% females) report they felt so depressed that they considered suicide. (19% nationally; 25% females nationally) Nine percent of surveyed Eagle County youth (15% females) report that they have attempted suicide. (8% nationally; 11% females nationally) Success in suicide prevention will be measured in many ways: • Increased awareness of suicide/ and or depression as a youth issue (6+ 90 minute trainings per year, 9 newspaper articles) • Increased numbers of people trained in suicide first-aid using the ASIST curriculum (1% of local population trained by 2006) • Increased capacity of local mental health agencies to treat depression and counsel those with suicidal thoughts (measured by client tracking with local providers) • More parents will attend parent skill-building opportunities (measure number of participants in parenting classes) • More youth will demonstrate social competency skill building (measure numbers of youth participants in social competency curriculums) • • Pre and Post tests regarding participans awareness and knowledge of suicide signs and where to get help. • Policies and procedures and memorandums of understanding for and between agencies when dealing with persons at-risk of suicide will exist (4-6) • Community Social Capital will increase to enhance this protective factor in preventing suicide (300 trained per year in the 40 Developmental Assets) • Youth suicide attempts will decrease to match national percents by 2006 (measured by repeating Eagle CARES survey in fa112003, fa112005 and fall 2007.) Community concern and willingness to implement programs to prevent suicide already exists. The youth-serving community has been engaged in developing amulti-year plan. Financial resources are needed to implement a comprehensive suicide prevention plan. S. What other organizations and /or stakeholder groups will you be working with? List who they are and why you will be working together on this project. Eagle County Government: Fiscal and Administrative Agent Policy and Procedures, Gatekeeper trainings, Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) Eagle River Yonth Coalition*: Coordinating agency Awareness events Gatekeeper trainings Colorado West Mental Health: Building capacity in mental health services Policy and Procedures, MOUs, Parenting Classes Local Private Therapists: Building capacity in mental health services CSU Cooperative Extension: Social CapitaU 40 Developmental Assets Trainings Parenting Classes Youth social competency building programs Colorado Mountain College: Parenting Classes EMS Prevention Council : Policy and Procedures, MOUs Training of First Responders; Community Information Municipal Law Enforcement: Policy and Procedures, MOUs County Law Enforcement: Policy and Procedures, MOUs Vail Valley Medical Center: Policy and Procedures, MOUs Eagle County School District: Survey implementation Parenting classes Policy and Procedures, MOUs Youth social competency building programs Meet the Wilderness: Youth social competency building programs Parenting classes Snowboard Outreach Society: Youth social competency building programs Girl Scouts of Chipeta Council: Youth social competency building programs The Red Ribbon Project: Parenting classes (Spanish) The Literacy Project: Youth social competency building programs The Youth Foundation: Youth social competency building programs *The Eagle River Youth Coalition represents nearly 50 local organizations working with youth. ~ ~ f 6. Are you willing to participate the three- to-six month planning process to thoughtfully develop a program that will address the needs of the community? What is the commitment of the organizations and/or stakeholder groups identified in question #S to this planning process? Eagle County Health & Human Services and the Eagle River Youth Coalition agree to facilitate community participation in a three-to-six month planning process to develop a suicide prevention program that will address the needs of the entire community. The Eagle River Valley human service community is eager to partner with the "experts" to establish research based goals and objectives. A youth-led research project currently underway is attempting to identify the factors that result in youth reported depression and consideration of suicide and to document the youth coping skills. Suicide response protocols have recently be established between Health & Human Services, Colorado West Mental Health, Eagle County Sheriff's Office and Vail Valley Medical Center. The commitment of the organizations to participate in this process is strong. The Eagle County Suicide Prevention Initiative will build upon the multi-agency and multi- community efforts for strategic planning that include youth services, early childhood services, and emergency prevention services. In the summer of 2002 the Eagle River Youth Coalition facilitated strategic planning around youth depression and mental health issues and 14 organizations were represented at the table.