COVID-19 and the national outcry for racial justice has illuminated a need for coordinated, culturally-specific and proactive ACEs and suicide prevention efforts. Through a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Prevention Institute has partnered with the National League of Cities and Dr. Howard Pinderhughes, Director of the Sociology Doctoral Program at the University of California, San Francisco, to offer training and tools to local government and their partners in supporting their communities. We will compile, tailor, and rapidly disseminate suicide and ACEs prevention interventions with a focus on incorporating strategies that 1) have been adapted for a shelter-in-place/infrastructure disruption context, and 2) are responsive to populations most at risk and most impacted by the stress, anxiety, social isolation, loss and grief brought about and exacerbated by the pandemic.
At the same time, we are also working to update the CDC Suicide Prevention Technical Package for application during catastrophic events.
Topics and Activities
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Suicide Prevention Modules
These modules offer communities and states guidance to assess their local contexts, populations most impacted by suicide, and promising strategies during periods of infrastructure disruption due to catastrophic events such as the COVID-19 pandemic. - Mobilizing Action for Resilient Communities Podcast Series
These podcasts feature interviews network leaders from [MARC.HealthFederation.org]Mobilizing Action for Resilient Communities (MARC), an initiative that supports cross-sector, community networks using the science of ACEs and trauma to build a just, healthy and resilient world.
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Preventing Trauma and Youth Suicide During COVID-19 and Beyond: Promoting Mental Wellbeing Through In-School and Out-of-School Supports
This topic explores how agencies and organizations that support the wellbeing of youth both in school and out of school have adapted to the current context. Groups have found new opportunities to authentically engage with youth in ways that elevate strengths, connect to culture and are trauma-informed. -
Promoting Connectedness for Trauma and Suicide Prevention: Needs and Opportunities to Address Social Isolation in a Pandemic
This topic explores how agencies and organizations are addressing social isolation and loneliness with a focus on priority populations who faced isolation even before the pandemic and groups at higher risk for suicide and trauma.
This project is supported by Cooperative Agreement No. 6 NU38OT000305-02-03 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Department of Health and Human Services or the CDC.