FY20 Suicide Prevention Plan Progress Report Now Available

September 25, 2020 – DMH has released the FY20 update for the Mississippi Suicide Prevention Plan, providing a snapshot of the efforts taken to combat suicide in the state during the past fiscal year.

The plan includes three goals:

Engage and empower Mississippians to help prevent suicide by increasing awareness of suicide as a public health crisis and knowledge of suicide prevention efforts
Promote identification, intervention, and care for people at risk for suicide utilizing evidence-based and best practices to improve clinical and community prevention services
Develop postvention services to care for and support individuals affected by suicide deaths and attempts to promote healing and implement community strategies to help prevent further suicides

As an action step in Goal 1, DMH in FY20 developed a Postpartum Depression Advisory Workgroup that includes representatives from hospitals, mental health providers, medical associations, and other public health professionals. DMH also partnered with the Mississippi State Department of Health for a one-day symposium featuring Dr. Mallory Malkin, licensed psychologist. The event was attended by 161 people in the medical, social work, and mental health fields.

During the fiscal year, there were 8,722 people trained in evidence-based curricula to treat people at risk of suicide, including 558 people trained in Mental Health First Aid and 8,164 trained in The Alliance Project, a suicide prevention gatekeeper training developed by Mississippi State University. As the COVID-19 pandemic affected the state, The Alliance Project training shifted to a virtual format that is available on the DMH Facebook page and on the YouTube page of Dr. Michael Nadorff with the MSU Department of Psychology.

The Alliance Project has also been a partner in developing postvention services under Goal 3. In FY20, DMH received a Garrett Lee Smith Youth Suicide Prevention grant funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. DMH has partnered with MSU and The Alliance Project in providing postvention trainings throughout the state. Postvention refers to activities that reduce risk and promote healing after a suicide death.

Click the link or image below to read the full FY20 Suicide Prevention Plan Progress Report.