Suicide Prevention
Suicide Loss & Grief Support Group

For information about the new Suicide Loss & Grief Support Group, which will be held bi-weekly beginning in February 2024, please click on the icon below. 

 


                                      
    

Directing the Change is part of statewide efforts to prevent suicide, reduce stigma and discrimination related to mental illness, and to promote the mental health and wellness of students. The Directing Change Program and Hope & Justice Film Contests are for students and provide opportunities for them to learn about suicide prevention, mental health and social justice by creating short films, written works, and art projects. To learn more about the upcoming contest, please click on the icon below for a slide deck with more information. 

                         



Welcome to Solano County Behavioral Health's (SCBH) Suicide Prevention page. The purpose of this site is to outline for the community the specific strategies SCBH and the Solano County Suicide Prevention Committee is implementing to combat stigma and reduce suicide deaths in Solano County including information regarding: the Suicide Prevention Committee; Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan and Plan Updates; news and highlights of current efforts and/or trainings being implemented; status of current Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) prevention and early intervention efforts; and resources available to get connected to services as well as crisis services.


Hotlines & Resources


    
  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Additional Lines
    • Veterans: 1 (800) 273 - TALK (8255) press 1 for veterans
    • Spanish Line: 1 (888) 628-9454
  • Institute of Aging Friendship Line: 1 (800) 971-0016 (older adults 60 and over)
  • Lifeline for Deaf & Hard of Hearing: 1 (800) 799-4889
  • Teen Line: (310) 855-HOPE or (800) TLC-TEEN, text "Teen" to 839863

Suicide Prevention Committee
Committee Mission Statement:
To inspire, equip, and mobilize all people in Solano County; to work towards a stigma and suicide free community.

Committee Meetings:
It is our hope that working alongside consumers, peers, county and contractor staff, community members and partners we will achieve our goals of producing equitable outcomes for all the populations we serve.

Meetings are held monthly with multi-sector participation including behavioral health providers, law enforcement, health providers, faith-based partners, education partners, consumers and family members with lived experience, etc. Additionally, sub-committees are held throughout the year to work on special projects. If you are interested in learning more about the Committee, please reach out to Tracy Lacey at
[email protected].


Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan
In 2017, a Countywide Solano County Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan was developed in partnership with the community through a comprehensive community program planning (CPP) process and presented to the Solano County Board of Supervisors in September 2017. In 2021 the Plan was updated following comprehensive CPP process which included community forums, focus groups and key informant interviews. This Plan Update is intended to be a guide for the entire County - both public and private sectors - in how to work collaboratively to combat suicide in our community. Solano County is one of seven California Counties to have a suicide prevention plan.  

To read the current Solano County Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan Update 2021 and become more familiar with the strategies being used to prevent suicide deaths locally, click
here

To view the slide presentations used during the community forums, 
click here for English or here for Spanish.

To view the initial 2017 plan, please click
here


Suicide Screening Project
The Solano County Suicide Prevention Committee continues to advocate for increased screening for suicide risk by both private and public behavioral health and primary care providers in Solano County. In an effort to further support this goal the Committee developed two screening questions and distributed an informational letter to local providers in September of 2020 and again in September of 2022. To learn more about this project, please see the information letter by clicking
here.


Training Opportunities
Free community education & training provided by SCBH staff and CBO partners through MHSA Prevention & Early Intervention (PEI) funded contracts. These trainings include:

  • safeTALK: 3 hours of training. Max number of participants: 25-30 per session. For individuals 15 years and older. This is an introductory warning on "talking about suicide". This will help community members recognize warning signs of suicide and feel comfortable in asking questions surrounding suicide.
  • ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training): 16 hours of training, two 8-hour day trainings. Max number of participants: 20-25 per session. For individuals 16 years and older. This is an in-depth training on suicide and unpacks our stigma towards suicide. This training is geared towards community members, professionals, parents and anyone who would like more training on how to identify suicide warning signs, how to intervene and how to ensure someone's safety. PAL (Pathway to Assisting Life) is the intervention taught in ASIST and it is geared towards reducing the need to feel that only the police or crisis can help someone who may be having suicidal thoughts.
  • Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) - Youth or Adult Version: 8 hours training (can be broken up into two 4-hour days). Max number of participants: 20-25 per session. This is an in-depth look at the four major diagnosis: Depression, Anxiety, Psychosis and Substance Abuse. There is a section of the training focused on crisis intervention. Participants learn how to identify risk and intervene appropriately.
  • Suicide prevention trainings tailored for local schools: Solano County Office of Education staff provide suicide prevention trainings for school personnel, parents/caretakers and students. These trainings are funded by both MHSA PEI as well as the Mental Health Student Services Act (MHSSA) grant.
  • Trainings related to the impact of suicide deaths locally and community-wide efforts to combat suicide: Several different members of the SCBH team are available to provide trainings for partners and the community. Presentations can be tailored to the needs of the requesting party; i.e. short and long version of the presentation.
  • Trainings provided on the SCBH system of care and how to access services: Several different members of the SCBH team are available to provide trainings for partners and the community. Presentations can be tailored to the needs of the requesting party; i.e. short and long version of the presentation. 


Gun Safety Campaign

Annually SCBH conducts outreach to local businesses that sell firearms in Solano County to distribute firearm safety brochures, which were developed in partnership between SCBH, the Solano County Sherriff-Coroner's Office, and local firearm instructors. The brochure includes information on how to approach a friend or family member who owns a firearm and may be experiencing an emotional crisis in order to encourage the individual to store his/her firearm off-site. Additionally, the brochure includes suicide prevention resources; the 24-hour National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number, the local Crisis Stabilization Unit address and phone number, and the SCBH Access Line number.  

Screening for Suicide
In September of 2020 the Solano County Suicide Prevention Committee circulated a letter to local behavioral health and health care providers in Solano County with recommended language for two suicide screening questions. This project was further supported by similar letter from the CA Department of Public Health. The letter can be reviewed here.    


News & Highlights
As a result of a community-defined quality improvement action plan through an MHSA Innovations Project and in partnership with the Education and Faith Collaborative local pastors will be trained in suicide prevention curriculum LivingWorks Faith.