SMA Behavioral Health Services, INC

Abstract: SMA Behavioral Health Services, Inc., a four county behavioral health system, will utilize Zero Suicide funding to implement Adult Zero Suicide, a suicide prevention and intervention program for individuals 25 years of age and older, that raises staff awareness of suicide, establishes referral processes, and improves care and outcomes for individuals who are at risk for suicide. SMA will employ a full-time trainer to facilitate Question, Persuade, Refer (and Treat) (QPR) and (QPRT) training to all SMA staff across the organization’s four-county service area. QPR(T) is a SAMHSA NREPP intervention specifically designed to train staff on suicide prevention and intervention. Currently, all SMA staff receives QPR training, but frequency of trainings is limited. The full-time trainer will also provide QPR and QPRT trainings to staff members at local county jails. Training will also be provide to case managers at the Orlando VA Medical Center, local VA outpatient clinical staff in our four county services area, and psychiatric services staff at Halifax Health in Daytona Beach and Flagler Hospital in St. Augustine. SMA will engage and intervene with veterans at risk for suicide but not currently receiving VA services. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is mandated to provide services for up to 90 days to any Veteran who presents to the VA as at-risk for suicide, regardless of whether or not the Veteran currently receives VA benefits. SMA and the Orlando and Jacksonville VA Medical Centers will coordinate services so that veterans without benefits can receive ongoing services and care coordination after the initial 90 days of VA services. As a Memorandum of Understanding currently does not exist between SMA and the VA, one will be created to define roles, expectations, and services between the two organizations. SMA will also work closely with other local VA services associated with all four counties. Adult Zero Suicide will, within the four county service region, employ four Care Coordinators who will provide behavioral health screenings, assessments, Suicide Care Management Plans, immediate care coordination and follow up with anyone leaving a Crisis Stabilization Unit, anyone involved with Veteran’s Affairs behavioral health services who is transitioning out of VA services, and those at risk of suicide upon release from county jails. SMA currently employs Care Coordinators who provide care to clients discharged from two of the three Crisis Stabilization Units (CSU) across its four-county system of care, but there is not enough of this resource to provide comprehensive care to all those at risk in the region. Adult Zero Suicide will integrate with systems that provide ongoing follow up care available in the community to prevent future suicide attempts and ensure proper follow up care has been accessed and utilized. The Suicide Care Management Plan will include protocols for safety planning, reducing access to lethal means, rapid follow up for those discharged from CSU, a VA facility or jail with suicidal thoughts/ behaviors, protocols to ensure client safety including outreach telephone contact within 24-48 hours after discharge and documenting the scheduling and attendance at appointments with a therapist and/or psychiatric provider within 48 hours of discharge. 1,000 individuals will receive Care Coordination services over the five year grant period.