Projects

Tennessee’s Zero Suicide Initiative Task Force is working to implement the concept of “zero suicides” within behavioral health and substance abuse treatment settings across Tennessee.

Members of the Task Force, in concert with the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS), the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network (TSPN), and the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) are working to help these agencies eliminate suicides and suicide attempts within their client base through an aggressive yet achievable action plan incorporating best-practice prevention and intervention strategies.

TSPN is currently seeking new organizations to participate in the Zero Suicide initiative. If your organization is interested, please email tspn@tspn.org.

The Gun Safety Task Force was created to expand the Gun Safety Project and think about ways to better involve and outreach to the gun-owner community, as we know that nearly two-thirds of all suicide deaths involve firearms. TSPN staff and volunteers still provide gun safety literature related to suicide prevention across the state, such as gun locks with crisis line numbers and firearm purchasing checklists.

If you are interested in participating in the Gun Safety Project, or receiving gun locks at no charge from TSPN, email tspn@tspn.org.

TSPN began providing free online suicide prevention training to Emergency Departments all across the state. TSPN staff and volunteers began providing brochures to Emergency Departments, as well, including brochures covering how to help a suicidal patient, how to help the family of a suicidal patient, and how to help Emergency Department staff in suicide prevention awareness and efforts.

In 1999, Senator Harry Reid, who lost his father to suicide, introduced a resolution to the United States Senate which led to the creation of International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day. Also known as Survivor Day, the day was designated by the United States Congress as a day on which those affected by suicide can join together for healing and support. It was determined that Survivor Day would always fall on the Saturday before American Thanksgiving, as the holidays are often a difficult time for suicide loss survivors.