Franklin County Suicide Prevention Coalition HOLDING on to HOPE!

2018 FCSPC Updates Training Updates Working with Troop B in Raybrook, NY we held a QPR Training with over 25 law enforcement officers in attendance. Working with Chateaugay School District we were able to train over 60 teachers, administrators on QPR (Question Persuade Refer.) We did schedule 2 Mental Health First Aid Trainings.However, we need a minimum of 5 in attendance, so both were cancelled due to lack of participation. If you are interested in Suicide Prevention Training please contact me at 518- 521-3507 or email me lrivers@communityconnectionsfcny.org

Public Awareness Events 2018 FCSPC Updates Public Awareness Events We worked with YMCA to hold an educational/fun event for teens at the Y. This is our first year and we look forward to hosting the event again next year. More than 23 youth/teens attended the event. The same event was held in Saranac Lake. We currently have a Suicide Loss Survivor Groups being held the 3rd Wednesday of every month at Community Connections of FC. Doors open at 6:30 pm with the group starting at 7:00pm. There is also a Suicide Loss Survivor Group being held in Saranac Lake the 3rd Wednesday of every month. We held a night of Memories and Healing here in Malone and Saranac Lake. Our goal was to show support and reduce stigma affiliated with suicide. We had over 30 individuals attend in Malone and 15+ attend in Saranac Lake.

2018 FCSPC Updates Postvention Plan Our postvention committee has been working for a couple months to create a Franklin County Postvention Plan. During the process, we realized the importance of incorporating any traumatic event into the plan. The committee meets this week to review the final draft. Once the approval has been completed, the plan will be submitted to the coalition members then to county officials for review. The Franklin County Postvention Response Team will be a collaborative effort of volunteers with a rich diversity of personal and professional skills, backgrounds and expertise available to provide supportive services to agencies, businesses and/or individuals in the Franklin County community who have experienced a recent suicide, sudden traumatic loss, mass casualty, natural disaster or other impactful incidents. Team members will receive training in Connect, ASIST, Mental Health First Aid and Psychological First Aid and or have other related skills.

2018 FCSPC Updates We successfully implemented our Franklin County Suicide Prevention website this year. Please check out our website at www.fcnyspc.com The coalition now has a north and south-end chapter that meet monthly. Anyone interested in joining the Franklin County Suicide Prevention Coalition please email me at lrivers@communityconnectionsfcny,org

Adolescent Life Skills Program The training program was developed to assess, educate and empower adolescents. The program assists adolescents with learning the skills required on day-to-day life experiences and expectations by supporting and offering tools they will need to make the right decisions that each participant may endure on their path to adulthood and when they become adults. The courses provided within the program educate all participants on community services available to them and how to give back to their local communities by volunteering at different events within the community. The twelve course program provides adolescents with training on, but not limited to, daily living skills; appropriate social media use; effective communication styles; consequences for behaviors; accepting responsibility for individual actions and/or behaviors; accepting decisions of authority; self-care; appropriate social relationships and dating; money management & budgeting; what documents may be needed throughout life (birth certificate, photo ID, and social security card), and how to plan for a career and/or education. The program introduces various presentations with the course provided by other community organizations (Planned Parenthood, STOP DV, Cornell Cooperative Extension, etc.) as well as provides “road trips” to community locations (banking institutions, local community colleges, One Work Source, etc). to assist with the learning and educational process.

Adolescent Work Training Program Rescued Treasures Thrift Store The program was designed by Community Connections of Franklin County and Franklin County Department of Social Services to help adolescents in the community receive the proper training and skill set to enter or re-enter the work force. The program’s goal is to hire adolescents who have the desire to work, however, need assistance with furthering their skills to find gainful employment within their community. Our comprehensive training course will help to develop individual skills in the retail working environment and help to develop their professional/personal skills within the community, at school (if applicable), and home. We believe the program participants will be ready and able to apply for other retail positions after nine-twelve months of receiving the training provided within the program. Each program participant enters the program in a part-time position, normally working 10 hours per week within a work training program/environment. However, there may be times when an individual’s hours increase due to staffing levels, needs and/or wants. The program administrative staff and personnel network with community employers to assist with ensuring that the program participants are receiving the training required to become gainfully employed within their local community. The program is designed to also discuss continued education if that is the desire of the participant. We will help to connect them to resources to further their education.