Maine Youth Suicide Prevention Program

Maine Youth Suicide Prevention Program

Overview .The Maine Youth Suicide Prevention Program is built upon a comprehensive set of strategies recommended by the office of the Surgeon General. The program is a collaborative effort among state and private sector agencies and individuals.

Vision / Mission — To reduce the incidence of suicide behavior among Maine Youth aged 10-24 and to improve youth access to appropriate prevention and intervention services.

Legal Basis for the initiative: Authorized as a priority initiative of the Maine Children’s Cabinet in Maine statute.

Oversight Authority — The Maine Youth Suicide Prevention Program is a program of Governor Angus S. King, Jr. and the Maine Children’s Cabinet. A 16 member Steering Committee guides the work of the MYSPP.

Strategies —. MYSPP strategies are designed to

Increase public awareness that suicide is preventable;
Provide suicide prevention training to educators, public safety personnel, clinicians, clergy, health care providers, and others who are in close contact with youth;
Disseminate data and information resources statewide;
Provide guidance for various agencies and groups on effective suicide prevention methods and practices.

Accomplishments;

1,040 Gatekeepers trained;
64 Substance Abuse Clinicians trained;
Over 300 DMHMRSAS Mental Health Clinicians trained;
80 DHS clinicians trained;
Web site and printed informational materials designed and distributed;
Statewide crisis hotline established;
10 School systems implementing Reconnecting Youth curriculum;
2 videos developed and disseminated.

What we have learned about the initiative heretofore:

Suicide prevention is a complex issue, requiring continues action and guidance from all involved departments and non-state government partners. Disjointed funding resulting in a less comprehensive approach may lead to failure to impact the youth suicide problem;
Many local schools/communities are not interested in suicide prevention until a suicide occurs, although several communities have taken appropriate steps to incorporate suicide prevention within their work and have a planned response to crisis;
Implementing the program in a safe way is sometimes difficult and always challenging!
Anecdotal reports tell us that the MYSPP is really making a difference!
The costs experienced as a result of youth suicide are much higher than the cost of youth suicide prevention;
We must evaluate the impact of the MYSPP.

Collaborators:[Partial List]: Acadia Hospital; AdCare Educational Institute; Grieving Children Centers; Harvard Pilgrim Health care Foundation; hospice agencies; Local schools and mental health service providers; Maine Health Information Center; Maine KidsCount; Maine Medical Center; Maine School Management Association; medical Care Development, Inc; Peoples’ regional Opportunities Program-Peer helper Training Program; Rutgers University; Saint Joseph’s College; Screening Committee members from private sector; suicide survivors; University of Southern Maine — Muskie School; Law School-EXCEL Program; and Youth themselves
Key Staff

DHS, Bureau of Health, Injury prevention, Cheryl Dicara; Teen and young Adult Health, Nancy Birkhimer; MCH, Ricka Wolman
DOE, School Health, Susan Berry; SAT, Roger Richards
DMHMRSAS; Children’s Services, Joan Smyrski; OSA, Linda Williams
DOC, Perry Ayotte
DPS, EMS, Jay Bradshaw; State Police, Lt. Timothy Doyle
Muskie School, Diane Haley, Roger LaJeunesse