Vermont Youth Suicide
Prevention Coalition (VYSPC)

The Vermont Youth Suicide Prevention Coalition (VYSPC) consists of representatives from public health and education, suicide prevention advocacy and survivor groups, youth leadership, law enforcement, Vermont 2-1-1, state agencies and private mental health services throughout the state.  Its formation was a primary objective of the Youth Suicide Prevention Grant awarded to the Center for Health and Learning and the Vermont Department of Mental Health by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), as part of the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act.

 The coalition mission is to create communities of hope throughout Vermont in which schools, agencies and people of all ages are given the knowledge, skills and resources to respond effectively to suicidal behavior by youth. 

Strategies include:

• promoting the message that youth suicide is preventable;
• equipping gatekeepers with the knowledge and skills to respond effectively to youth in distress;

• increasing public awareness of the importance of addressing mental health issues;
• establishing a broad-based suicide prevention and intervention program throughout Vermont;
• sponsoring a social marketing media campaign to reduce the stigma associated with being a consumer of mental health, substance abuse and suicide prevention services
• promoting positive youth development; and 
• putting into place a multi-year strategic plan to ensure long-term, sustainable approaches to prevention and early intervention.

You can use the links below to 1) learn about the work of the Coalition; 2) find out about the Umatter Vermont Youth Suicide Prevention project; and 3) link to resource articles on suicide prevention.

NOTE: Center for Health and Learning is an education and resource organization and does not provide direct services.

If you are in crisis and need immediate help:

           Call 2-1-1 ( in Vermont)  or

              Call The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at  

               1.800.273.8255    (TTY: 1.800.799.4889)   or

                      Call 9-1-1 or

                         Go to the nearest emergency room

Survivors of Suicide Support Groups in Vermont

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Visit our web sites:

For Adult Gatekeepers:

UmatterUCanHelp.com

For Youth:

UmatterUCanGet Help.com

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Vermont Youth Suicide Prevention Coalition (VYSPC)

VYSPC Meeting Minutes and Handouts*

January 3 2009 Meeting Minutes
Meeting Agenda
Power Point Presentation

April 3 2009 Meeting Minutes

May 29 2009 Meeting Minutes

New Hampshire Connect Diagram

Suicide in Society

September 30 2009 Meeting Minutes

November 13 2009 Meeting Minutes

CDC Statistics

January 15 2010 Meeting Minutes

April 2 2010 Meeting Minutes
Early Identification Referral and Follow-Up (EIRF)

June 2 2010 Meeting

NAMI NH Connect Power Point Presentation

September 2 2010 Meeting Minutes

Development of a Multi-Year Vermont Suicide Prevention Plan

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Umatter

Umatter Overview

School Board Brief

Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Suicide Prevention Grant: Programs Overview
Lifelines Gatekeeper Training

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Vermont Suicide Prevention Plan

Vermont Suicide Prevention Plan

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Articles of Interest

Suicide and Suicide Attempts in Adolescents

American Academy of Pediatrics

Suicide is the third leading cause of death for adolescents 15 to 19 years old.  Pediatricians can take steps to help reduce the iincidence of adolescent suicide by screening for depression and suicidal ideation and behavior.  This report updates the previous statement of the American Academy of Pediatrics and is intended to assist the pediatrician in the identification and management of the adolescent at risk of suicide.

Warning Signs for Suicide Prevention

SPRC and AFSP

This one-page document by the Suicide Prevention Resource Center and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention gives an overview of the warning signs that someone may be taking his or her own life.

The Urge to End it All

By Scott Anderson from the New York Times Magazine.

Family Rejection as a Predictor of Negative Health Outcomes in White and Latino Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Young Adults
From the American Academy of Pediatrics

Suicide Risk and Prevention for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Youth
From the Suicide Prevention Resource Center

Changing Times: A Longitudinal Analysis of international Firearm Suicide Data

Vladeta Ajdacic-Gross Ph.D. et al

A discussion of changes in the proportion of firearm suicides in Western countries since the 1980s and the relation of these changes to the change in the proportion of households owning firearms.

Gun Storage Practices and Risk of Youth: Suicide and Unintentional Firearm Injuries

David C Grossman et al

The presence of a household firearm is associated with an increased risk of suicide among adults and adolescenbts.  In a study of people who attempted or completed suicide, investigators found that 75% of the guns were stored in the residence of the victim, friend or relative.

Means Matter: Suicide, Guns and Public Health

Harvard Injury Control Research Center

This pamphlet discusses the importance of controlling access to guns when someone may have suicidal thoughts.

Firearms and Suicide in the Northeast

Matthew Miller et al

A central question in suicide research is whether firearm availabilty increases the overall number of suicides rather than the proportion of suicides from guns.  Firearm prevalence was positively related to the suicide rate, even after controlling for rates of attempted suicide.

Suicide Contagion and the Reporting of Suicide

US Department of Health and Human Services

This summary of the Resource Guide describes eight suicide prevention strategies and provides general recommendations for the development, implementation and evaluation of suicide prevention programs targeted toward this age group.

Public Health Training on the Prevention of Youth Violence and Suicide

American Journal of Preventative Medicine

In this article, training resources, opportunities and strategies for prevention of the high prevalence of youth violence and suicide in the US are discussed and recommendations for a new public health training initiative are outlined.

*Directions to the Summit Center

From 1-89 take Exit 10 (Waterbury/Stowe).  Go South on Route 100 to Route 2.  Turn left on Route 2 and at the second set of lights, take a right.  There will be a stop sign at the corner of Park Row and Randall Street.  Proceed straight through the stop sign.  The Learning Center is located in the Osgood Building, the first building on the left, and parking is available in the lot on the right side of the street.  Our Center is on the ground floor with a front and back entrance