Statewide Programs

 

State-Level Means Restriction Programs 

ALABAMA

  • Activity: Providing education to people explaining how locking up all lethal means can prevent suicides.
  • Contact: Betsy Cagle, betsy.cagle@adph.state.al.us

COLORADO

  • Activity: The CO Gun Shop Project, which works with retailers, range owners and safety course instructors to add suicide prevention information.
  • Contact: Jarrod Hindman, jarrod.hindman@state.co.us

CONNECTICUT

  • Activity: Collaborated with National Shooting Sports Foundation to develop CT-specific materials; Mailed all shops new materials and training resources; Working with CT Poison Control Center to expand poison prevention efforts based on their suicide attempt data; Host a Data and Surveillance Committee under the CT Suicide Advisory Board and use CTVDRS, hospital and other data sources to guide efforts; Through Zero Suicide efforts, promote to health and behavioral health care systems the use and importance of counseling access to lethal means, and the use of the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale and Safety Planning tool.
  • Website: www.preventsuicidect.org

DELAWARE

  • Activity: Started to provide training in lethal means counseling at various venues throughout the state. 
  • Contact: Chris Love, chris.love@state.de.us
  • Website: mhainde.org

IDAHO

  • Activity: Identified a public parking garage known to attract more potential jumpers than other public garages, and using police reports, research on parking garage safety and on-site analysis, produced a report of the analysis and recommendations for making the garage safer. Four of the six recommendations were accepted and two have been implemented to date. The report can be found in the SPRC Library.
  • Contact: Kim Kane, Kim.Kane@dhw.idaho.gov

KENTUCKY

  • Activity: Regional prevention centers provide firearms locking devices in the community; providing prescription lock boxes and prescriber education to reduce access to prescriptions
  • Contact: Patti Clark, patti.clark@ky.gov

MAINE

  • Activity: A comprehensive statewide suicide prevention training program that includes information in all of our trainings about lethal means restriction
  • Contact: Sheila Nelson, sheila.nelson@maine.gov

MASSACHUSETTS

  • Activity: Posters were created for posting in all stores that sell guns
  • Contact: Kelley Cunningham, kelley.cunningham@state.ma.us
  • Website: www.mass.gov/dph/suicideprevention

MINNESOTA

  • Activity:  NAMI MN provides Means Matter training in the state of Minnesota;
    the Minnesota Department of Health funds lock boxes distribution when Means Matters training is offered
  • Contact: Amy Lopez, amy.lopez@state.mn.us

MONTANA

  • Activity: Lethal means counseling; distribution of gun locks; media campaign
  • Contact: Karl Rosston, Krosston@mt.gov
  • Website: Dphhs.mtgov/amdd/suicide

NEW HAMPSHIRE

  • Activity: Developed “clinical” CALM Training both in-person and online; developed and provide CALM for First Responders and continue to provide it;
    Developed and continue the Gun Shop Project; Developing a video for firearm instructors and working with instructors to add to their programs
  • Contact: Elaine Frank, elainefrank603@gmail.com
  • Website: http://www.nhfsc.org/

NORTH DAKOTA

  • Activity: Statewide Counseling on Access to Lethal Means training; provide free community/agency training upon request or as a part of Suicide Prevention in Primary Care training
  • Contact: Alison Traynor, atraynor@nd.gov

RHODE ISLAND

  • Activity: Distribute gun locks through children’s hospital emergency room; AFSP Out of the Darkness Community Walks where locks are distributed to event attendees with information from the Suicideproof.org website; Co-created the www.suicideproof.org website with the Center to Prevent Youth Violence,  now the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, and have worked with other states to distribute this information.
  • Contact: Jeffrey Hill,jeffrey.hill@health.ri.gov
  • Website: www.suicideproof.org

SOUTH CAROLINA

  • Activity: Mandating SPRC CALM training for state agencies
  • Contact: Alex Karydi, alexandra.karydi@scdmh.org

TENNESSEE 

  • Activity: Statewide distribution of original materials on safe storage and warning signs; Alliance with Tennessee Firearm Training and Safety Resources Inc., which incorporates suicide prevention information into its courses
  • Contact: Scott Ridgway, sridgway@tspn.org

UTAH

  • Activity: Promote use of and train providers on use of lethal means counseling; through state funds, purchase and distribute cable style gun locks; implemented a suicide prevention module into concealed carry instructor training; state mandated provider training on safe prescribing practices and several campaigns on medication safety; general community awareness and education ‘campaign’ style activities using “Is Your Safety On?” as campaign tagline.
  • Contact: Kim Myers, kmyers@utah.gov
  • Website: www.utahsuicideprevention.org

VERMONT

  • Activity: Promotion of universal workforce development using CALM; the VT Gun Shop Project
  • Contact: Nicole Miller, nicole@healthandlearning.org
  • Website: http://www.vtspc.org
  • Activity: Advocating for barriers at bridges through the Quechee Bridge Mitigation testimony to legislature, advisory group to Agency of Transportation
  • Contact: JoEllen Tarallo,
    joellen@healthandlearning.org

WASHINGTON

  • Activity: Many healthcare professionals are required to take a 6 hour suicide prevention with 30 minutes included on assessing imminent harm via lethal means, including how to talk with patients and their supporters. All pharmacists are required to have this content in a 3 hour course.
  • Contact: Neetha Mony, neetha.mony@doh.wa.gov
  • Website: https://www.doh.wa.gov/YouandYourFamily/InjuryandViolencePrevention/SuicidePrevention/TrainingforHealthProfessionals

WISCONSIN

  • Activity: Educating the general public on lethal means through QPR training.
  • Contact: Shel Gross, shel@mhawisconsin.org
  • Website: www.preventsuicidewi.org