Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network

Resources Crisis Centers in Your Area Suggested Reading Survivor Support Links Suicide Prevention Related Links Youth Related Links Mental Health Related Links Miscellaneous Links Suggested Reading As an additional resource, the following suggested reading lists are available: Achieving the Promise: Transforming Mental Health Care in America (113 pages - PDF format) President George W. Bush created the New Freedom Commission on Mental Health on April 29, 2002 to address the problems in the current mental health service delivery system that allow Americans to fall through the system's cracks. The President directed the members of the Commission to study the problems and gaps in the mental health system and make concrete recommendations for immediate improvements that the Federal government, State governments, local agencies, as well as public and private health care providers, can implement. This report is the final recommendation. Bibliography: Suicide A list of resources including: The Savage God, Step Back From The Exit: 45 Reasons To Say No To Suicide, New Lease On Life, and others. TSPN Survivor's Reading List A list of references developed by a committee of the Northeast Tennessee TSPN Region Seduction Of Suicide - Understanding and Recovering From Addiction to Suicide (ISBN: 1-4033-1001-7) by Kevin Taylor, M.D. (Pen Name) Available at 1stbooks Library. Phone orders: 888-280-7715 Web orders: www.1stbooks.com/bookview/10546 Surviving Suicide: My Journey to the Light Within ISBN: 1-882943-18-X (PCN: 2003104433) by Mary A. Scovel Published by: Coastal Villages Press, 2614 Boundary St., Beaufort, SC 29906 (843-525-0075), Fax: 843-525-0000 Mary’s website is: surviving-suicide.com The Burn Journals by Brent Runyon (ISBN-13: 978-1400096428) Vintage, 2005. Suitable for grades 8 and up. Nominated for a Georgia Peach Award for Young Readers. Crossing 13: Memoir of a Father's Suicide by Carrie Stark Hugus (ISBN: 978-0-9815938-0-7) Affirm, 2008. Reviewed by the American Assoication of Suicidology's publications committee. Back To Top of Page Survivor Support Links A Walk To Remember, One Mother's Legacy A voice whispered in my ear, "It's time for you to walk in memory of your son.". Thus began the planning for a 2000+ mile walk/bike combination trip as a memorial to Iris & Jim Angle’s son's life, and to the lives of all our loved ones who chose to die too soon. Iris's journey will begin on August 31, 2002 from the Chardon Cemetery, Chardon, Ohio. Eric was born, lived and is now buried in Chardon. Iris's final destination is Phoenix. Arizona, on November 21, 2003. This is Eric's birthday and it's where he died. The web site will be continually updated with the progress of the journey. Visit, bookmark and return frequently to their web site to stay abreast of the trip. Alive Grief Support Services Alive Hospice offers this comprehensive program that addresses the needs that arise following the death of a loved one. Professional grief counselors and trained volunteers are on hand to facilitate a variety of support services, including individual counseling. Compassionate Friends The mission of The Compassionate Friends is to assist families toward the positive resolution of grief following the death of a child of any age and to provide information to help others be supportive. Faces of Suicide An ongoing outreach project of the POS-FFOS (Parents of Suicide/Friends and Families of Suicides) Internet community. Survivors have the option of memorializing their own loved ones on this page. Friends and Families of Suicides Memorial Website The FFOS Memorial Website is a memorial to those who died by suicide. It includes photos, stories, a flower garden, other special ways to remember, and an excellent collection of resources. The website is created and maintained by volunteers in the Friends and Families of Suicides Internet support group. Healing Our Hearts and Souls A personal site that offers an account of suicide's effects on the family and individual and offers faith-based guidance for survivors. Lifekeeper Foundation The Lifekeeper Foundation was formed in 1995 to promote suicide awareness, education, and prevention through art forms such as Lifekeeper Jewelry, Poetry, and the Lifekeeper National Memory Quilt project. The foundation's goal is to continue with these projects, develop others as envisioned, and simply to carry the message that suicide happens in good families and that it can happen to any of us. Memory Tree of Lights The "Memory Tree of Lights" is a ministry which focuses on the Christmas holiday season and provides comfort, education, intervention and hope to people whose lives have been impacted by the loss of someone to suicide and who are overwhelmed by this loss during the Christmas season. The Link Counseling Center The Link is a non-profit community counseling center which serves the greater Atlanta metropolitan area. The Link provides suicide- related community education in the areas of prevention, intervention, and aftercare. Organization for Attempters & Survivors of Suicide and Interfaith Services (OASSIS) The mission of the Organization for Attempters and Survivors of Suicide in Interfaith Services is to enrich the lives of those who have been and will be touched by suicide. OASSIS seeks to prevent suicide, to increase suicide awareness, and to remove the stigma on attempters and survivors by facilitating educational programs, organizing systems-wide support, training professional caregivers, and offering consultative services. OASSIS works not only with religious communities, but also business and labor, health care providers, higher educational institutions, law enforcement, and military personnel. Parents Of Suicide A Memorial to our Precious Sons and Daughters POS-FFOS ( Parents Of Suicides/Friends and Families of Su icides) This online community of survivors features members from across the globe and is available 24 hours a day. Parents of Suicides Email Support Group Designed to provide a support group through the Internet via email. The Scott Willard Foundation This agency specializes in providing support and resources to child and young adult survivors. It operates a crisis intervention center in Tampa, Florida, as well as Get Thru It, an online self-help community, and a national listing of support groups for suicide survivors. Sibling Suicide Survivors Sibling survivors are often called the forgotten mourners. When a sibling dies, those siblings left behind, no matter their ages, are considered secondary mourners to the parents and/or if the sibling who died had a spouse and children. For those siblings still living at home, they will "lose" their parents for some time as the parents grieve the death of the deceased child. Parents can become so engrossed in their grief that they forget their living children still need reassurance they are loved and wanted. Because of the suicide, the surviving siblings' roles in the family are altered. They might feel the need to parent their parents or protect them from anything else bad happening. The opposite could also happen where the parents try to shield the living children, afraid of losing them, too. S.O.L.A.S. ( Surviving Our Loss After Suicide) Based in Kalispell, Montana, their goals are to offer support and an empathetic community for those affected by suicide. To provide a network of concerned persons available for the newly bereaved. To provide an opportunity for education regarding suicide and suicide grief reactions. To support each other toward healthy resolution of the grief. The Suicide Grief Support Forum The Suicide Grief Support Forum Board is here to provide information and support to anyone whose life has been touched by suicide. Surviving Suicide Surviving Suicide - A web site for healing after the loss of a loved one through suicide. This is the site of a SPAN USA Community Organizer in Southern Nevada. Survivors of Suicide, San Diego Survivors of Suicide, Inc., is a nonprofit, nonsectarian, self-help support group for those who have lost a relative or friend through suicide. The Survivors of Suicide volunteers are dedicated to providing information and support to assist in the grieving and healing process. Survivors of Suicide holds monthly support group meetings in the San Diego area. Survivors of Suicide also publishes a quarterly newsletter and supports this web site. The Suicide Memorial Wall The Suicide Memorial Wall was created here to help us remember some of the names of those whose deaths were self-inflicted. We also hope to show visitors that suicide is a tragic end to lives that once had great potential. Most of all, however, we hope to plant seeds of compassion in the hearts of those who read the names: seeds that may develop into a commitment to understanding suicide and finding solutions. The Gift of Keith A website for understanding suicide by Carol Loehr, mother of Keith who died by suicide on March 29, 1999, when her own journey into grief started. Designed to help comfort and inform survivors of suicide, and to educate clergy, health care professionals and counselors. Back To Top of Page Suicide Prevention Related Links American Association of Suicidology AAS is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the understanding and prevention of suicide. This site is designed as a resource for anyone concerned about suicide, including AAS members, suicide researchers, therapists, prevention specialists, survivors of suicide, and people who are themselves in crisis. You will also find a National Directory of Support Groups for Survivors of Suicide on this site. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention AFSP was founded in 1987 by concerned scientists, business and community leaders, and survivors of suicide in an effort to support the research and education needed to prevent suicide. This organization also offers educational programs and conferences for survivors, mental health professionals, physicians, and the public. This site contains a section dedicated to survivor support as well as a 1998 National Directory of Survivor Support Groups for families and friends of suicide. CrisisLink Prevention - Intervention - Support - Training Our mission is powerful: We save lives by providing support for those facing life crisis, trauma and suicide. We provide communities with assistance and training so they may better understand and respond to those needing support to cope with these life challenges. Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) DBSA's offerings include an excellent booklet titled "Suicide Prevention and Mood Disorders" which features information to help you understand suicidal thinking and to learn to overcome suicidal thoughts. This booklet includes straightforward sections covering topics such as recognizing risk factors, how to help someone who is considering suicide, and how to create a "Plan for Life." Feeling Blue Suicide Prevention Committee The "Feeling Blue Suicide Prevention Committee" is dedicated to helping prevent suicide, promote suicide prevention awareness, and help remove the stigma associated with suicide. They provide caregivers with professional resources necessary to aid persons at risk, identify support organizations for survivors of suicide and provide community awareness. Nashville Crisis Intervention Center Preventing suicides and offering support for individuals and families... Crisis Line: 615-244-7444 - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Help Line: 615-269-4357 - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Trained volunteers and staff assist callers with a wide variety of problems, including grief and loss, drug and alcohol problems, mental health issues, and suicide. Our compassionate telephone counselors are available round the clock, when no one else will listen. National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (NSSP) The National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (NSSP) represents the combined work of advocates, clinicians, researchers and survivors around the nation. It lays out a framework for action to prevent suicide and guides development of an array of services and programs that must be developed. It is designed to be a catalyst for social change with the power to transform attitudes, policies, and services. The NSSP Goals and Objectives for Action was published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in May of 2001, with leadership from the Surgeon General. National Center for Suicide Prevention Training The National Center for Suicide Prevention Training (NCSPT) introduces its first internet-based workshop, "Locating, Understanding, and Presenting Youth Suicide Data." This training is a unique opportunity because it takes place over the Internet allowing participants to participate from home or work, free of charge. National Council for Suicide Prevention NCSP Mission statement: To further effective suicide prevention through collaborative activities and information sharing in order to save lives. Kristin Brooks Hope Center Program manager of the National Hopeline Network. If you – or someone you know – are having thoughts about suicide, call 1.800.SUICIDE (784-2433). Calls are connected to a certified crisis center nearest the caller’s location. Services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. National Organization for People of Color Against Suicide NOPCAS is a 501c (3) organization founded by three African-American suicide survivors. Its goals are to bring suicide and depression awareness to minority communities that have historically been discounted from traditional awareness programs. State Plans For Suicide Prevention Davis Hayden, Ph.D. (Western Washington University) provides readily available current information on state suicide prevention plans. Samaritans USA Established in 1974, Samaritans USA a coalition of 11 non-profit, non-religious suicide prevention centers in the United States who respond collectively to almost 250,000 calls annually. Its primary purpose is to further the Samaritan’s principles of befriending people who are depressed, in crisis and suicidal as practiced on or through our volunteer-staffed crisis response hotlines, public education programs and suicide survivor support groups. The Samaritans "befriending" model emphasizes active listening and the providing of unconditional emotional support. Samaritans USA is a member of the oldest and largest suicide prevention network in the world with over 400 centers in 32 countries. SA/VE - Suicide Awareness/Voices of Education The mission of SA/VE is to educate about suicide and to speak for suicide survivors. SPAN USA (Suicide Prevention Action Network USA) The Suicide Prevention Action Network is a non-profit national organization that links the energy of those bereaved or touched by suicide with the expertise of leaders in science, health, business, government and public service to achieve the goal of significantly reducing the national rate of suicide by the year 2010. SPAN USA was founded in 1996 by Gerald and Elsie Weyrauch of Marietta, Georgia, survivors of the suicide of their 34-year-old physician daughter, Terri. Their goal was to create a way for those who have lost someone to suicide to transform their grief into positive action to prevent future tragedies. Suicide Information and Education Center A library and resource center for suicide information & education. Also available on this site is caregiver training with information for suicide prevention training programs. Suicide Prevention Resource Center SPRC is a national resource center that provides technical assistance, training, and information in order to strengthen suicide revention networks and advance the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention. Suicide Prevention Services of the Fox Valley Located in Batavia, Illinois (in the Fox Valley area), this agency is dedicated to the mission of reducing and eliminating suicide and suicide attempts through education, advocacy, and collaboration. The Beth Foundation, Inc. The Beth Foundation Inc., is a non-profit organization dedicated to reducing the suicide rate in Florida through education and awareness. It provides training to increase the general knowledge about the nature of suicidal behavior, how to respond and refer a suicidal person for help and to provide a central clearinghouse for suicide prevention information and resources. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America - A Message on Suicide Prevention The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is the first formal faith community to issue an extensive message on suicide prevention. The contents may be adapted to any other faith community. The Georgia Suicide Prevention Plan The Georgia Suicide Prevention Plan provides a framework for getting everyone in Georgia involved in preventing suicide. The Plan has become a model for other states to follow and use. The Link Counseling Center's National Resource Center For Suicide Prevention and Aftercare. Programs of The Link are Counseling and Psychotherapy, Children in Crisis and Grief, Suicide Prevention and Aftercare, Community Education, Training, and Supervision. With One Voice The primary objective and aim of this project is to bring students, families, professionals, schools, and communities together to energize suicide prevention. We use music and drama as a powerful vehicle to provide understanding and problem solving for kids in a language they can embrace. The MUSICAL stimulates a desire to help... The CRISIS PROGRAM makes it possible! Back To Top of Page Youth Related Links B-SPAN - A Brown University chapter of SPAN USA B-SPAN is a student organization at Brown University that is actively involved in suicide prevention and mental health awareness. Our main goal is to help others stop the emotional pain they are experiencing before it leads to suicide. CDC National Youth Violence Prevention Resource center The first central source for violence prevention information for parents, teens and others. Lists a toll-free hotline, a fax-on-demand service for prevention program information, publications, research and statistics, fact sheets and more. Health and Human Development Programs Serving maternal and child health agencies and other organizations by providing information and technical assistance in efforts to reduce unintentional injuries and violence to children and adolescents. Also provides summaries of state prevention plans, and contact names for other states developing plans. Help for Troubled Teens Offers directories of available consultants, boarding schools, wilderness training and academic programs for troubled teens. (Note: Viewpoints articulated on this website do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Network.) Injury Prevention Web - Children's Safety Network The Children's Safety Network, National Injury Data Technical Assistance Center announces the availability of "charts of injury mortality trends for each state". Each state chart compares trends in suicide, homicide and motor vehicle mortality from 1980-1996. Each chart includes the state, HRSA Health Region and national trends. Separate sets of charts are provided for 10-14 year-olds and for 15-19 year-olds. Also available are charts of the mechanism of suicide for the two age groups in each state. Each chart contains a link that allows a viewer to download a MS Excel workbook that contains the data that generated the chart and a high definition version of the chart suitable for inclusion in a printed report. The Jason Foundation The Jason Foundation, Inc. is a nationally recognized leader in teen suicide awareness and prevention. They make a wide range of informative, educational materials and programs available, at no charge, to parents, teachers, youth workers and others who are concerned about the alarming statistics that link our country’s next generations and suicide. The Jed Foundation The Jed Foundation is a nonprofit public charity committed to reducing the young adult suicide rate and improving mental health support provided to college students nationwide. The Link Counseling Center's National Resource Center For Suicide Prevention and Aftercare. Programs of The Link Counseling and Psychotherapy Children in Crisis and Grief Suicide Prevention and Aftercare Community Education, Training and Supervision. Tattered Teddies This suicide prevention curriculum from the Centre for Suicide Prevention in Canada is highly recommended for guidance on talking with small children about suicide and for spotting suicidal tendencies in children. CDC Injury Center CDC staff studies the problem of youth violence and suicide with the same kinds of public health tools applied to infectious diseases, chronic diseases, and occupational hazards. The mission of the Youth Violence and Suicide Prevention Team is to promote implementation of efforts to prevent injuries resulting from assaultive and suicidal behavior through development and dissemination of science-based knowledge, intervention, and prevention strategies, working with public and private organizations. Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program Because of the internal nature of depression and loneliness, thousands of youth who appear to be happy are screaming silently in the deepest emotional pain. What can we do? Find the answer on this site. Youth Suicide Prevention Program This web site is presented as an educational resource by the Youth Suicide Prevention Program located in the state of Washington. National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center The NYVPRC was established as a central source of information on prevention and intervention programs, publications, research, and statistics on violence committed by and against children and teens. It is a collaboration between the CDC and other Federal agencies and serves as a user-friendly, single point of access to Federal information on youth violence prevention and suicide. Back To Top of Page Mental Health Related Links Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance Support Groups DBSA offers five support groups in southeast Tennessee for people suffering depression, bipolar illness, or other mood disorders. Friends and family are always welcome. Helpful printed information is available at all meetings. Adolescent Pendulums (ages 17 and younger) Every Sunday at 2:30, East Ridge United Methodist Church, 1601 Prater Road, East Ridge Children’s Pendulums (for family and friends of children with mood disorders; children are encouraged to attend) Every Sunday at 2:30, East Ridge United Methodist Church, 1601 Prater Road, East Ridge East Ridge Pendulums Every Monday at 7 PM, East Ridge United Methodist Church, 1601 Prater Road, East Ridge Jasper Pendulums Every Thursday at 6 PM, the Cottage, 112 College Street, Jasper Women’s Pendulums (for women with mood disorders) One Monday a month at 7 PM at East Ridge United Methodist Church, 1601 Prater Road, East Ridge; call (423) 653-2177 for dates Depression Screening National Mental Health Association (NMHA) has a Depression Screening site as part of their Campaign for America's Mental Health. The mission of this web site is to educate people about clinical depression, offer a confidential way for people to get screened for symptoms of the illness, and guide people toward appropriate professional help if necessary. DrugWatch.com DrugWatch.com features a comprehensive list of prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications currently or formerly on the market and outlines their potential side-effects, including the potential for depression and suicidal behavior. National Alliance for Mental Illness The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) is a nonprofit, grassroots, self-help, support and advocacy organization of consumers, families, and friends of people with severe mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and anxiety disorders. The NAMI website provides a listing of Tennessee NAMI affiliates. NIMH - National Institute/Mental Health The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the principal biomedical and behavioral research agency of the United States Government. NIH is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The National Mental Health Association The National Mental Health Association (NMHA) is the country's oldest and largest nonprofit organization addressing all aspects of mental health and mental illness. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration SAMHSA is An Agency of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. SAMHSA is the Federal agency charged with improving the quality and availability of prevention, treatment, and rehabilitative services in order to reduce illness, death, disability, and cost to society resulting from substance abuse and mental illnesses. Back To Top of Page Miscellaneous Links America's Continuing Education Network The ACE Network is a leader in the production, marketing and distribution of Distance Education Programs, Satellite Teleconferences and LIVE Tele-Events! ACE offers E-Conference solutions and On-Line administrative support services for distance education projects worldwide. The Bright Side Whether dealing with a crisis, coping with a mental disorder, or just feeling overwhelmed with life, we all go through difficult periods in our life. When life feels like it's too much of a strain, a little bit of support can go a long way towards helping us cope - that is what "The Bright Side" is all about. Team Everest 03 In 2003, the Coalition of Texans with Disabilities sponsored a team of physically and mentally disabled persons to scale Mount Everest as a statement about the empowerment of disabled individuals. The team accomplished its mission on May 23, 2003. HRSA - Health Resources/Services Administration HRSA directs national programs that improve the Nation's health by assuring equitable access to comprehensive, quality health care for all. A division of the Department of Health and Human Services. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control The Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System is an interactive database system that provides customized reports of injury-related data. National Injury Data Technical Assistance Center Charts of injury mortality trends for each state with charts of the mechanism of suicide for the two age groups. Each chart contains a link that allows a viewer to download a .pdf formatted MS Excel workbook containing the data that generated the chart and a high definition version of the chart suitable for inclusion in a printed reproduction. National Organization For People of Color Against Suicide NOPCAS is a 501c3 organization founded by three African-American suicide survivors. Its goals are to bring suicide and depression awareness to minority communities that have historically been discounted from traditional awareness programs. WISQARS - (Web-based Injury Statistics Query And Reporting System) is an interactive system that provides customized injury-related mortality data useful for research and for making informed public health decisions Back To Top of Page Appearance of a link on this page does not imply endorsement by the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network of the external website's content or the views and opinions of the site's sponsoring organization. Once you access an external site linked on this page, you are subject to the privacy policy of the new site. This includes sites you may link to through our search engine. If you have any questions about the Network or our disclaimer statement, please feel free to contact our Executive Director. Scott Ridgway, MS PO Box 40329 Nashville, TN, 37204 (615) 297-1077 ~ (615) 297-1077 fax tspn@tspn.org

P.O. Box 40329 Nashville, TN 37204 Phone: (615) 297-1077 Fax: (615) 269-5413 E-mail: tspn@tspn.org This website is presented as an educational resource by TSPN and is not designed to provide services/therapy to people in crisis.