2002 Annual Conference
SPAN Idaho
SECOND ANNUAL SUICIDE PREVENTION CONFERENCE
Idaho Suicide Prevention Planning Symposium
Sun Valley, Idaho
November 22 - 24, 2002
Conference Summary
A statewide planning conference was held in Sun Valley at the Sun Valley Lodge November 22-24, 2002. The purpose of the conference was to develop a statewide suicide prevention plan for Idaho. It was organized by SPAN Idaho in its inaugural year and as the first major project since incorporating in July 2002. Conference Attendees
Conference attendees were chosen from the seven mental health regions in the state. An attempt was made to include six people from each region and some at-large positions. From the regions we sought a survivor, clergy, mental health, youth, someone with schools, and other community representatives. We also included representatives from the State’s Native American population. A total of 63 people attended. Representation was excellent from all regions except Region 1 where because of last minute cancellations we had only two people. Program
- Colonel David Litts, Special Assistant to the US Surgeon General for Suicide Prevention
- Elaine Sullivan, M.A., licensed professional counselor and past director of Suicide Support Division of American Association for Suicidology
- Dr. Margaret West, regional director for the Northwest Region of SAMSHA
- Keri LuBell, Ph.D., from the Center for Disease Control
- Breakout Groups reviewed and supplemented information that had been provided as a skeleton of a proposed statewide suicide prevention plan.
Statewide Plan
We had planned to distill all the input given through the day, and come up with a draft of a statewide suicide prevention plan. As the Board met in the evening, it was clear we would not be able to accomplish this that night. Much of the feedback from participants was leading us in some new directions. We then decided to create a “Preamble” with some declarative statements which would serve as a skeleton for the actual plan. This was distributed on Sunday to each participant as they were sent back home. The Preamble reads as follows:
Preamble to the Suicide Prevention Plan
for the State of Idaho
Preface: We the people of Idaho, recognizing the gravity of the issue of suicide in our state, have gathered together to organize our resources to find and apply solutions to this problem.
Article I: Our efforts will simultaneously address the issues surrounding suicide on the individual, family, community and social levels.
Article II: We will create, share and evaluate an accurate data base regarding suicide and suicide prevention, intervention and postvention resources.
Article III: We will create a comprehensive statewide plan with input from mental health researchers and clinicians, the full range of assistance and service providers, volunteers, educators and school officials, clergy, and those whose personal lives have been affected by suicide. The plan will be in language that is accessible to the general public.
Article IV: We will generate the political will to energize the social changes needed to address the issue of suicide prevention.
Article V: We will establish a common and understandable glossary of terms to facilitate widespread discussion of the issue of suicide.
Follow-up
Prior to going home, the groups met as regions and organized some regional leadership. They were given the assignment to come up with a first meeting date, a person in charge, and some initial plans about ideas for future work. All wanted to understand more about what activities were already going on in their areas. They were also assigned to create a news release for the local paper, and to spread the information on the suicide hotline number. The Board committed to have more of a plan written by the first of 2003.
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