Four Corners Behavioral Health recently received the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention grant. The grant is aimed toward training health professionals in suicide prevention and how to link individuals to resources.
The grant is a three-year program that will focus on providing follow-up services to individuals that present a mental health crisis to their healthcare provider or emergency room staff.
“Often, there is a fear of asking someone if they are considering ending their life,” staff from Four Corners shared. “Research has shown that talking and or asking about suicidal thoughts, feelings or plans does not increase the likelihood of suicide. In fact, it allows the person to open up and talk about what’s happening with them.”
Spearheading the program is Cacilia Jensen, the new Suicide Prevention Coordinator. Jensen was recently added to the Four Corners staff and will be implementing the program.
Jensen will provide training for E.R. staff and healthcare providers on suicide screening tools. This provides a proactive approach in linking individuals to appropriate resources and services in the community.
“The overall goal is that we can develop this program to the point that when the grant ends, the hospital and local healthcare providers will be able to have their own processes set in place for follow-up care and linking individuals to sustainable resources,” stated Jensen.
Four Corners Community Behavioral Health wrote this grant and together with community partners hopes to create a safety net which will ask the right questions, then engage and support individuals who are at risk of completing suicide.
“With this proactive suicide prevention approach, we hope to not only decrease the rates of suicide but have zero suicides in our community,” Four Corners shared in a statement.
For more information about the suicide prevention grant, please contact Jensen at (435) 637-7200.