Partnering With You to Prevent Suicide

The Center for Health and Leanring and the Vermont Suicide Prevention Center (VT SPC) is pleased to prsent our 2020 VT SPC Impact Report. 

The Vermont Suicide Prevention Center (VTSPC) is a public-private partnership of the Center for Health and Learning with the VT Agency of Human Services and many partner organizations and individuals. The mission is to create health-promoting communities in which people have the knowledge, attitudes, skills, and resources to reduce suicides in Vermont.  The 2020 Impact Report highlights some of the key achievements of the VT SPC in 2020.  Some noteworthy items from the report:

*At the 2020 Advocacy Day at the Statehouse, we had  60 participants from across the state

*The annual Vermont Suicide Preveniton Symposium was adapted to a virtual format and served over 300 participants.

*Implemtned Umatter® for for Schools online course with 25 participants representing 11 Schools and/ or Mental Health Agencies

*Implemented Umatter® Suicide Prevention Awareness Overview online--3 webinars with 81 participants from 68 organizations

*Implemtned 5 Umatter® Gatekeeper training with 135 participants form 5 organization

AND: the “What is Umatter® YYA” video received first place in the Community Impact Division at the 2020 Nor’easter Video Festival put on by the Alliance for Community Media – Northeast Regions. The video was made in partnership with Brattleboro Community TV. The award recognizes programs that generate community involvement and interest through awareness, empowerment and education. 

Thank you so much for the support that made this possible.  The Impact Report is attached!

Links:

• What Is Umatter YYA?
• Vermont Suicide Prevention Center

• 2020 Impact Report (PDF)
  

Because of the demands created by the COVID 19 pandemic to avoid in person trainings, CHL and the Vermont Suciide Prevention Center has moved our Umatter® for Schools training to an entirely online format!

CHL developed and implemented Umatter, a national best practice program and public information campaign for suicide prevention that promotes mental health, teaches self-care, risk assessment, coping and help-seeking skills. Umatter for Schools provides school teams with the knowledge and skills to develop a comprehensive, asset-based approach to suicide prevention at their school including Gatekeeper training, staff and parent awareness training, prevention and postvention protocol development and Lifelines curriculum training for implementation in grades 7-12.

The newly designed Umatter for Schools online training consists of 3-4 Zoom meetings and coursework over 6 weeks.  Schools are encouraged to send teams with a minimum of two people consisting of a guidance counselor, nurse, health educator, mental health provider, and/or administrator as well as at least one decision maker. Schools who have sent teams in the past are encouraged to send newly hired or assigned staff to support mental health and suicide prevention strategies in the school.

Here's what one former trainee has said about Umatter for Schools:

My initial connection with CHL was as a participant in the Umatter for Schools. [Our school] sent a team of participants including administrators, security personnel, a school counselor, student assistance program coordinator and social worker to learn about early warning signs, risk factors, best practice. The two-day workshop also had school teams begin to design suicide protocols to clearly delineate each school’s response to a student experiencing suicidality. [Our school] had never considered developing a protocol for suicide prior to this workshop and the Chair of the Counseling Department, Student Assistance Program Coordinator, and I were tasked to complete one during a school in-service day. I cannot over-emphasize the importance of this document. It is referred to and followed every time a … student exhibits suicidal thinking, which happens on a regular basis. I have personally trained our staff … on how to use the protocol, including educating staff on warning signs and risk factors. 

Umatter for Schools online will offer sessions in fall 2020 and spring 2021.  It's challenging for everyone to offer supportive services for students, but we are happy to rise to the challenge and are honored to work with educational communities that are doing so as well.  

Please donate to help us continue this important work!

• Umatter for Schools flyer (PDF)