The Zero Suicide Academy® is a two-day training for senior leaders of health and behavioral health care organizations that seek to dramatically reduce suicides among patients in their care. Using the Zero Suicide framework, participants learn how to incorporate best and promising practices into their organizations and processes to improve care and safety for individuals at risk. Zero Suicide faculty provide both interactive presentations and small group sessions, and collaborate with participants to develop organization-specific action plans.
The Indian Health Service (IHS) and the Education Development Center , Inc. will host staff from 10 sites to attend the 2017 American Indian/Alaska Native Zero Suicide Academy®. The following organizations will make up the 2017 Academy class:
- Thompson Indian Health Service Health Center - Ft. Thompson, SD
- Comprehensive Healthcare Facility - Chinle, AZ
- Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Behavioral Health - Choctaw, MS
- Oneida Nation Behavioral Health Services - Oneida, WI
- Elbowoods Memorial Health - New Town, ND
- United Indian Health Services - Arcata, CA
- Seneca Nation Health System - Salamanca, NY
- Fairbanks Native Association - Fairbanks, AK
- Gila River Health Care - Sacaton, AZ
- Muscogee (Creek) Nation Behavioral Health Services - Okmulgee, OK
The two and a half day event will be held in Albuquerque, NM September 7-9, and is designed for senior leaders of Indian/Tribal/Urban health and behavioral health care organizations that seek to reduce suicides among patients in their care. Teams from across Indian Country will learn the fundamental aspects of the Zero Suicide model; establish a collaborative learning environment with other teams, and receive consultation from Zero Suicide faculty to develop individualized plans to implement the model.
The Zero Suicide model is a comprehensive approach to suicide care that aims to improve care and outcomes for individuals seen in health care systems who are at risk of suicide. The model involves the following seven interrelated core elements:
- Lead: Leadership commitment to fundamentally change suicide care
- Train:Comprehensive and ongoing workforce training and development
- Identify: Universal and standardized screening and risk assessment
- Engage: 100% suicide safety and care management plan, with means restriction
- Treat: Use of effective, evidence-based treatments that directly target suicidality
- Transition: Continuous contact and support, especially after acute care
- Improve: Strategic data collection and ongoing quality improvement
After completing the Zero Suicide Academy®, teams will begin their initial implementation, receive additional consultation and technical assistance, and participate in an eight-session Community of Learning collaborative. Lessons learned from this cohort will be compiled to help guide future sites planning to adopt the Zero Suicide model in Indian country health systems. For more information, please visit the Zero Suicide website or contact Sean Bennett.
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