Youth Suicide Prevention Program

YOUTH SUICIDE PREVENTION PROGRAM'S (YSPP) MISSION IS TO REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF SUICIDE ATTEMPTS AND DEATHS IN WASHINGTON STATE BY BUILDING PUBLIC AWARENESS AND OFFERING TRAINING, EDUCATION AND SUPPORT TO COMMUNITIES AND INSTITUTIONS SERVING YOUTH THAT ARE AT RISK.

THE CLASSROOM TO COMMUNITY PROGRAM IS A TEAM APPROACH TO YOUTH SUICIDE PREVENTION IN WHICH PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS ARE FORMED TO SUPPORT MUCH NEEDED PREVENTION AND EARLY INTERVENTION STRATEGIES IN SCHOOLS & UNIVERSITIES IN COWLITZ, YAKIMA AND SOUTH PIERCE COUNTIES - THREE AREAS OF WA STATE WHERE THE LOCAL SUICIDE RATES FOR YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS ARE HIGHER THAN THE FEDERAL AVERAGE.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT & COALITION BUILDING ACTIVITIES STRENGTHEN COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION TO BUILD A STRONGER SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR LOCAL YOUTH. COALITIONS ARE ACTIVE IN KING, THURSTON, SPOKANE, BENTON-FRANKLIN, YAKIMA AND CLARK COUNTIES. YSPP'S INFORMATIONAL WEBSITE IS THE TOP RANKED SITE ON GOOGLE FOR YOUTH SUICIDE AND RECEIVES OVER TWO MILLION HITS EACH YEAR.

THE TRAINING & EDUCATION PROGRAM TRAINS ADULTS WHO WORK WITH YOUTH TO DEVELOP ASSESSMENT AND INTERVENTION SKILLS TO IDENTIFY AND HELP THOSE AT RISK OF SUICIDE. THESE GATEKEEPERS INCLUDE TEACHERS, SCHOOL COUNSELORS, MENTAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICE PROFESSIONALS, POLICE, CLERGY, HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS, YOUTH GROUP LEADERS AND OTHERS.

CURRICULA WORK FOCUSES ON THE DEVELOPMENT, IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION OF SCHOOL BASED SUICIDE PREVENTION CURRICULA AND ASSESSMENT TOOLS TO BE USED IN K-12 CLASSROOMS. OUR CURRICULA HAS BEEN AWARDED BEST PRACTICE STATUS FROM THE NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION RESOURCE CENTER AND HAS BEEN DELIVERED TO OVER 8,000 STUDENTS IN WA STATE.