Suicide is a public health problem. One suicide within a community impacts multiple systems and has far reaching consequences, not just for that individual's family and loved ones, but the entire community. Thus, effective suicide prevention initiatives require the committed involvement of community representatives across systems. Developing Effective Coalitions: An Eight Step Guide says that, "A coalition is a union of people and organizations working to influence outcomes on a specific problem. Coalitions are useful for accomplishing a broad range of goals that reach beyond the capacity of any individual member organization." Below are resources that assist you in identifying essential partners for your youth suicide prevention coalition, how to obtain buy-in and how to build and maintain your coalition. These materials offer concrete tips and suggestions to get you started. In addition, we have included an example of the output resulting from a Wisconsin county collaboration (LaCrosse) on youth suicide prevention. Also included are other Wisconsin collaborative partnerships. Members of these collaborative may be utilized for their expertise in coalition building.
Essential Partnerships
The Eight Steps to Developing an Effective Coalition Tip Sheet
Although the examples given in this paper are specific to injury prevention coalitions, most can be applied to coalitions working on a variety of health-related issues. Written in the format of eight specific steps, this paper attempts to give structure to a process that is somewhat variable. Therefore, this paper is to be used as a general guide. Each group will find ways of interpreting the eight steps to best suit its own needs. The particular details of the solutions arrived at by each coalition will be unique. The complete paper can be accessed here.
Community Mobilization for Prevention Online Guide
The Southwest Prevention Center has an on-line tutorial on how to identify and maintain coalitions. The tutorial includes tips sheets, case studies and down loadable exercise sheets. Refer to section 2, 5, and 12 for information about the process of identifying and inviting individuals or organizations to partner with your coalition.
The guide was developed by the Southwest Prevention Center as a
web-based, self-directed guide for community coalitions and prevention
providers. This web-based tool provides information, tools, and
resources for supporting leveraged community organizing, planning, and
actions specific to substance abuse prevention, butmany elements may,
however,be transferable to other public health issues.Many of the tools
found in this guide were developed in collaboration with CSAP's
Southwest CAPT, OMNI, CKIDS, the Colorado Department of Human Services,
and other experts in the field.
Most of the information in this guide is in the public domain. Unless
stated otherwise, documents and files in the guide can be freely
downloaded and reproduced. However, you may encounter documents that
werecreated by other organizations. Other parties may retain all rights
to publish or reproduce these documents or to allow others to do so.
Permission to reproduce these documents may be required.
Essential Partners Checklist
Identifying and Understanding Your Stakeholder Worksheet -The Southwest Prevention Center,
A Cross Section of Stakeholders Worksheet,Contact Sheet for Engaging Stakeholders.Click here to visit the Southwest Prevention Center's web site
Obtaining Community Buy-In
Suicide Prevention Community Assessment Tool
Buy-in often begins by conducting a needs assessment of the community, the process of which involves many individuals and organizations from throughout the community. Click here for an example of one such assessment tool.
Building and Maintaining Successful Partnerships
SPRC: Community Coalition Checklist
This checklist may serve to generate helpful discussion during the assessment and planning phases of community-based suicide prevention activities.
The University of Kansas Community Tool Box.
If you click on the "Tools" tab on their homepage you will see a link for "table of contents." Click on table of contents to get an outline of the 46 Chapters of the Tool box, divided into Parts A through M. Each part gives you a brief description of the content of the chapters within that part. Chapters 1-9 (in Parts A-D) involve creating a coalition or partnership. Chapters 10-13 (within Parts D and E) are relevant to the maintenance of a coalition. Simply click the chapter you are interested in accessing and a dropdown of each chapter will appear. Click on the chapter of interest and you will see outline of each section within that chapter. Click on section of interest or simple click on the first section to go to beginning of chapter.
Some Strategies for Sustaining Your Community Coalition
Community Mobilization for Prevention Online Guide
Refer to section 10 for information about identifying stakeholders, as well as planning for, conducting, and evaluating effective meetings. The online guide can be accessed here.
SPRC: Customized Information
SPRC offers customized information about suicide for specific stakeholders. Eachcustomized page includes information on "Your Role in Suicide Prevention," which may assist you in targeting your message to engage these stakeholders in your coalition. Each section also included resources specific to that stakeholder group. Currently, SPRC offers customized information for the following stakeholders:
- AODA Counselors
- Clergy
- College Students
- Co-Workers
- Employees
- First Responders
- School Health Providers
- Social Workers/Counselors
- Survivors
- Teachers
-
Teens
If you need customized information sheets on other stakeholders in your community contact SPRC and they will address your need.
Youth Suicide Prevention School-Based Guide
This online resource was developed by the Florida Mental Health Institute at the University of South Florida. It provides a framework for schools to assess their existing or proposed suicide prevention efforts and provides resources and information that school administrators can use to enhance or add to their existing program. Information is offered in a series of issue briefs and corresponding checklist.
Examples of Model County Community-Based Coalitions
Suicide Prevention Manual for LaCrosse County
An example of a county-wide, collaborative effort to prevent the incidents of suicide by youth in LaCrosse County. This information can also be found online here.
Resources on Wisconsin's collaborative partners
Wisconsin's Collaborative Systems of Care
The following web site is meant to serve as a resource to parent groups, mental health providers, schools, law enforcement, human and social service personnel who are involved in or would like to learn more about involvement in collaborative systems of care.
To access local information, click on "Contacts", and then click on "Statewide WCSOC Contact List." Or, you may contact White Pines Consulting at (608) 266-7561, (715) 258-5430 or the Department of Health and Human services at (608) 266-0907.
Mental Health Crisis Intervention Network
All coalition members should be aware of the contact information for crisis intervention services. Crisis staff can assist not only after a crisis has occurred, but also can help with development of crisis policies and plans. A list of crisis resources for the ten counties involved in this project can be found in Section 6 of this toolkit.
Wisconsin
Family Ties (WFT)
WFT can assist groups through the maze of services and supports that are available to them, and for children. Contact their office in Madison at (608) 267-66888.
Resource Directories
Wisconsin First Step can help find resources for children from birth to 21 with special needs. Has access to a database of more than 3,000 agencies. Call (800) 642-7837, 24 hours a day/ 7 days a week.
Resource House is an online database that can be searched by city or zip code.
