Network of Safety Suicide Postvention Retreat brought together local community members and professionals to discuss and strategize suicide postvention efforts.
Network of Safety hosts suicide postvention training
May 13, 2024 – On May 7 – 8th, the Network of Safety Suicide Postvention Retreat brought together local community members and professionals to discuss and strategize suicide postvention efforts. Postvention activities focus on reducing risk and promoting healing after a suicide death. This event was coordinated by various organizations such as Douglas Education Service District, Adapt Integrated Health Care, Umpqua Health Alliance and Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians at the Roseburg Public Library. Attendees from different sectors in our region including healthcare, law enforcement, public safety, faith-based organizations and education entities collaborated to identify support services, align visions and set goals during this two-day retreat. A special thanks is extended to the facilitators: The Association of Community Mental Health Professionals (AOCMHP), Options for Southern Oregon and the Oregon Alliance to Prevent Suicide.
“Events like the Network of Safety Suicide Postvention Retreat create an opportunity for stronger coordination and cohesion in prevention, intervention and postvention response efforts. This collaboration is a chance to build more functional models that could improve the realities of what these services look like for our community,” said Tiana Oaks, assistant director of Behavioral Health for Douglas Education Service District.” We are so appreciative of how many community partners were willing to come participate in the conversation.”
Chief of Community Mental Health Services Douglas and Curry Counties for Adapt Integrated Health Care, Cherie Barnstable said, “Adapt Integrated Health Care participated in Network of Safety-Coordinated Postvention Training and Strategic Planning event last week. This event held vital importance to Adapt and the multiple community partners present at the table to discuss a more encompassing Postvention Response in the wake of a youth suicide or event that impacts multiple points throughout our community. Postvention response provides support and healing at not only the individual level but the community level as well to promote healing and reduce risk of long term mental health issues.”
The Network of Safety Suicide Postvention Retreat, along with the expansion of the postvention taskforce into the Network of Safety, was facilitated through a grant awarded to Douglas ESD by the Oregon Alliance to Prevent Suicide in collaboration with Oregon Health Authority (OHA). This grant initiative forms part of a broader statewide endeavor to enhance the infrastructure of regional suicide prevention coalitions in Oregon. Within Douglas County, the key objectives of the postvention efforts encompass improving communication channels and local responses following a suicide loss, enhancing the identification and expansion of local resources and support services for individuals impacted by suicide, as well as fostering greater community collaboration concerning suicide postvention strategies.
Umpqua Health Alliance, acting as the fiscal sponsor for the grant supporting the postvention task force expansion, emphasized the significance of partnerships in postvention efforts. Their involvement and active participation in the grant process reflects their commitment to the project’s success.
“Umpqua Health is a leader in driving local health system transformation, which includes advancing integrated care models to ensure everyone has access to the holistic network of services and supports required to address their complex needs,” said Integrated Clinical Services Director for Umpqua Health Alliance, Taylor Dombek, Ph.D., LPC. “Our partnerships are vital to the development and sustainability of community support networks that transcend frontline care. We foster community resilience through ongoing collaboration and partnership to increase access to supports that are responsive, person-centered, and trauma-informed.”
With suicide ranked as the 11th leading cause of death in the U.S. Oregon has seen rates above the national average (data). The ongoing efforts of organizations like the Oregon Alliance to Prevent Suicide in partnership with the OHA are crucial in building stronger regional suicide prevention coalitions. Local resources, communication systems and community collaboration are essential aspects of postvention strategies aimed at addressing suicide losses in Douglas County.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988Lifeline.org. Specialized support is available through the Veterans Crisis Line (press 1 or text 838255), in Spanish (press 2 or text “AYUDA” to 988) and for LGBTQIA2S+ youth and young adults (press 3 or text “Q” to 988). 988 is also now available for individuals who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing through American Sign Language videophone services.
Additionally, Douglas Education Service District, Adapt Integrated Health Care, and Umpqua Health Alliance are actively involved in providing educational, healthcare and support services to the community.
Douglas Education Service District offers collaborative, high-quality, equitable, and locally responsive educational services to our regional community and thirteen component school districts. Some services extend to Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, Lake Counties and beyond. To learn more, visit www.douglasesd.k12.or.us
Adapt Integrated Health Care provides primary care, mental health care, and substance use treatment & recovery services to the communities of southwest Oregon. Visit www.adaptoregon.org to learn more about other programs and services available in your location. If you or someone you know needs primary care, substance use treatment, or mental health care, call 541-672-2691 or the 24/7 Crisis Line 1-800-866-9780.
Umpqua Health Alliance Providing integrated healthcare solutions to Douglas County residents through the Oregon Health Plan since 2012. UHA connects over 40,000 members to comprehensive care services and collaborates with community partners to address ongoing healthcare needs and enhance community health and vitality. Learn more at www.umpquahealth.com.