Nebraska State Suicide Prevention Coalition (NSSPC)

The Nebraska State Suicide Prevention Coalition (NSSPC) was formed in 1999 and began implementing suicide prevention efforts in conjunction with the Surgeon General’s call to action to prevent suicide. The purpose of the project was to develop local expertise in suicide prevention throughout the state of Nebraska and work to achieve the following three goals:

1. Increase awareness and knowledge among the target audiences of warning signs, risk factors, and interventions to prevent suicide.
2. Reduce stigma; both surrounding suicide and associated with survivors seeking help for the loss of a loved one by suicide.
3. Positively influence the suicide rate for Nebraska.

The Coalition is hosted by BryanLGH Medical Center in Lincoln, Nebraska and consists of volunteer members from a variety of disciplines. Survivors, policy makers, service providers, first responders, educators, clergy, and interested Nebraskans from across the state serve on NSSPC.

Two of NSSPC’s current initiatives include implementation of a LOSS (Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors) team in Lancaster County and facilitation of Columbia University’s TeenScreen program in south central Nebraska.

The LOSS program is an effort to bring immediate support to survivors of suicide. Through LOSS trained survivor volunteers (persons who have experienced the suicide of a loved one) and a mental health professional are activated by first response officials to the scene of a suicide. The LOSS team is present to offer resources, support, and serve as sources of hope to the newly bereaved. Through this postvention approach, the LOSS team also addresses prevention as research indicates that survivors of suicide are as much as nine times more likely to engage in suicidal behavior themselves. Research has established that through programs such as LOSS, survivors are not only more likely to seek help for their own emotional response to the suicide, but are also at a significantly reduced risk to attempt/complete suicide themselves.

TeenScreen is a national screening program created to address unidentified mental illness and suicide risk in youth. The program has been introduced to various school districts and allows parents and students the opportunity to participate in a voluntary mental health screening. Through TeenScreen , middle and high school age youth complete a questionnaire and interview process geared at identifying common risk factors associated with depression or other mental health problems. TeenScreen does not provide a mental health diagnosis but informs a parent if a teen shows signs of being at-risk and assists them in locating local resources where they can obtain further evaluation.

The Nebraska State Suicide Prevention Coalition is pleased to announce an opportunity for community-based groups to apply for grants of $1,000 - $3,000 to implement suicide prevention practices. Click here for grant and application details.

For additional information on NSSPC or to become involved, please contact co-chairs Dave Miers at dave.miers@bryanlgh.org or Don Belau at don.belau@hotmail.com, or visit their website at www.suicideprevention.nebraska.edu.