The New York Foundling Youth Suicide Prevention Training Center at the Vincent j. Fontana Center for Child Protection

Through the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act The Office of Mental Health has chosen the New York Foundling to be a regional training site. The New York Foundling is one of the oldest and largest Child Welfare agencies in NYC. Youth in foster care have high incidents of suicide ideation.

The New York Foundling Provides Gate Keeper trainings to “ANY” community on suicide prevention and on LGBTQ2S issues. Trainings include QPR- Question, Persuade and Refer SafeTALK ASIST- Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training CONNECT Lifelines

Internal Trainings at NYF We have trained every new hire that arrives at the agency as a future gatekeeper since May During our orientation week cycle we provide o QPR to all new employee regardless of job description. o Safetalk to our Youth Specialist and the residential staff.

Training for the Child Welfare Community The Center has been the “Go To” suicide prevention training resource for the Administration for Children’s Services. Several ACS initiatives have implemented suicide prevention training as part of their policy and The NY Foundling has provided most of these trainings amongst ….  The monthly foster parent trainings  The Non Secure Placement (NSP)

Who are we Training Our foster Parent Initiative began with offering training to …  The ACS Foster Parent Monthly Forum – publicized in the ACS STARS System (Statewide Training Automated Registration System )  The New York Foundling has also made Safetalk and Spanish QPR a part of the internal foster parent training calendar. This training has been very well received amongst this population who is very difficult to engage.

Who Else Are We Training….?  The Center has also been asked by several NSP (non- secure placements) Juvenile Justice Programs to provide the mandate suicide prevention training to 5 of the 9 NSP programs.  The Center received a request to train a young woman’s ministry group in Queens.  Several request have come from some of NYC public high schools and junior high school for suicide prevention training.

Beyond Training……… Community Outreach  Web Presents – Through the development department at The New York Foundling the Youth Suicide Prevention Center has a presence on …  The NY Foundling Website  Facebook  Twitter  And we have created a list serve that consist of hundreds of mental health, education, psychiatry and child welfare professionals.

What the Future Holds……. In the Spirit of the GLS/OMH grant The NY Foundling will Further our outreach to clergy Expand our trainings amongst other Child Welfare programs Solidify the relationships with the NYC Department of Education Host several conferences and trainings including Dr. Martha Straus’ Helping Traumatized Girls in Crisis.

Ketsia Delarosa-Torres, MSW The New York Foundling 27 Christopher Street For more information about Garret Lee Smith Memorial Act and Suicide prevention in NYS visit The Office of Mental Health ntion/ For a calendar of trainings happening in NYS visit