Suicide Prevention in the Workplace

Every Wednesday, 12:00 – 1:00 PM

Eighty percent of all deaths by suicide are among individuals ages 45-54 (SAMHSA, 2023). Given that the average person spends over 90,000 hours at work over their lifetime (Pryce-Jones, 2010), employers can play an immense role in supporting the health and well-being of their workforce. Supporting the mental health of their workforce has a positive impact on individuals as well as on the larger organization as resilient employees are more engaged and productive in their work. As we will focus on employers, at the core of the series will be the evidence-based VitalCog (previously known as Working Minds) training (Mishkind et al, 2023), which is among the gatekeeper trainings outlined by SPRC. Our facilitators are already registered for the next 8-hour VitalCog train-the-trainer course that will be offered by the University of Colorado.

This series aims to help people in the workplace recognize and respond to individuals who are at risk for suicide. This training will focus on providing learners with skills, tools, and resources that will help them be more aware of mental wellness, recognize when someone is experiencing a suicidal episode, and develop a basic toolkit for intervening with those who are at risk while referring them to treatment services. ECHO sessions will be comprised of a short didactic and role-play simulation (20-25 minutes), followed by at least 2 participant-led case presentations (35-40 minutes).

Topics for Case-Based Learning and Discussion Include:

• Compassion Fatigue & Resilience

• Selfcare Snack

• Mental Health 101

• VitalCog