Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation

The Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation  (OSPF) is pleased  to present  Ohio’s Campaign  for Hope, developed in response to SAMHSA’s State/Tribal Youth Suicide Prevention Cooperative Agreements. Ohio’s Campaign will provide a multi-pronged approach of suicide prevention initiatives,  serving Ohio’s at-risk youth  (ages 15 to 24) as well  as the  adults  who serve them. OSPF will equip, mobilize and support its statewide network of Suicide Prevention Coalitions to assure the engagement of community stakeholders as well as the delivery of locale sensitive, culturally  competent  services. At-risk  populations, including  youth residing  in high risk counties, military  families as well  as youth  involved  in the  foster care and juvenile justice systems and GLBT communities will be targeted with trans-formative services. Sadly, Ohio has rate of youth suicide that exceeds the national average; suicide is the third leading cause of death for the targeted  age population.   Evidence  based  practices  form the core of the initiatives  that will initially focus on the twenty counties of highest need. Evidence based practices to be coordinated through the Coalition network and OSPF project staff include Kognito’s At Risk for High  School  Educators  and Military  Families, an on-line, interactive  gatekeeper training program for adult serving youth, Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk, a suicide-specific professional  development program  for mental health professionals,  and the youth  suicide riskassessment  tools – Teen Screen and  Signs of Suicide.  OSPF will  also market  and promote the National Lifeline  information  and resources  in a cadre of different  manners. OSFP anticipates that 20,000 adult serving youth will be served through the three year program implementation program and that I 0,000 youth will participate in suicide risk assessments. Those determined to be at-risk will receive follow up and referral services to assure active and timely  engagement in the community-based  mental  health  system.  OSPF will  also engage  former GLS grant participants that are community based mental health centers to serve as peer mentors to assist communities throughout the State in successful engagement and tracking of at-risk youth as they access local treatment services.  External evaluation  of Ohio’s Campaign will be completed  by the research team at Case Western  Reserve  University.