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When suicide affects our community, Clackamas County offers support to help people heal, build resilience, and reduce future risk among those who have lost someone to suicide.
This work is called postvention and is provided by mental health professionals at the county’s urgent mental health walk-in clinic, Clackamas Mental Health Center (MHC).
If you have lost someone to suicide, you are not alone. Millions of people are impacted by suicide loss. It is common to experience feelings such as guilt, confusion, anger, emptiness, or even questioning your own will to live.
Taking care of yourself after a loss
Grief looks different for everyone. These steps may help support your healing:
- Lean on your community. Talking about your loss, when you feel ready, can be an important part of healing.
- Grieve at your own pace. There is no timeline for grief. Do what feels right for you.
- Connect with others who understand. Suicide loss support groups can provide comfort, understanding, and connection.
- Ask for help when you need it. Professional support is available at no cost, and it’s okay to reach out.
To request postvention services, email ph-promotionandprevention@clackamas.us.
For urgent support, call the Crisis and Support Line at 503-655-8585 or call or text 988.
What is suicide postvention?
Postvention is a coordinated response after a suicide that focuses on supporting survivors and addressing emotional and mental health needs. The goal is to reduce the risk of additional harm while helping individuals and families navigate grief and loss.
Postvention support available
Immediate support
After a suicide, the Trauma Intervention Program (TIP) and local chaplains may respond to provide emotional first aid and practical support. The Medical Examiner will also share information about ongoing postvention services.
Short- and long-term support
With information from the Medical Examiner or TIP, the Postvention Team at Clackamas MHC may reach out to survivors to offer:
- Help connecting to community and peer support resources
- No-cost peer services and mental health care at Clackamas MHC
- Education about common grief responses to reduce guilt and complicated grief
- Support identifying others who may also need care
- Follow-up check-ins, especially around anniversaries or meaningful dates
How to access support
If you or someone you support has lost someone to suicide, contact the Clackamas County Suicide Prevention Team at ph-promotionandprevention@clackamas.us.
A team member will reach out by phone to offer compassionate support, help explore resources, and discuss next steps. With your permission, the team can also reach out to others who may need support and schedule future check-ins.
For immediate or time-sensitive needs, call 503-655-8585 or 988.
Role of community partners
Community partners who become aware of a known or suspected suicide are asked to notify ph-promotionandprevention@clackamas.us so postvention support can be offered as quickly as possible.
You do not have to go through this alone. Support is available when you are ready.
Postvention resources
Suicide loss resources
- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Healing Conversations
Connects those who have lost someone to suicide for a one-time visit (phone, virtual or in-person) with trained volunteers who are also survivors of suicide loss. - Dougy Center
Support for grieving children, teens, young adults, and their families. There are also Spanish resources. - The Helpline Center
Provides individual phone or caring card support to loss survivors (email griefsupport@helplinecenter.org to request). - National Alliance for Children’s Grief
Provides resources for supporting children who are grieving a death by suicide. There are also Spanish resources. - Oregon Health Authority Help Texts
OHA is offering year-long, evidence-based grief and mental health support via text message for teens and adults ages 13+. - Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE)
Provides a suicide loss grief packet and practical resources.
Suicide loss support groups
- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Support Group Database
Virtual and in-person support groups. - Coalition of Clinician Survivors
Provides virtual groups to mental health and mental health adjacent professionals who have experienced suicide losses in personal and/or professional contexts. - Compassionate Friends
Virtual support community for parents, grandparents and siblings for suicide loss of a child. - Dougy Center
Offers in person and virtual children's support groups designed around age, type of death, and who died (parent, sibling, friend) in English and Spanish. Parent/adult caregiver groups run at the same time as the children's support groups. - Friends for Survival Suicide Loss Support Groups
Provides virtual grieving mom’s group, grieving men’s group, spouse and partner group and other support groups. - Helpline Support Groups for Suicide Loss Survivors
Virtual support groups. - National Widowers’ Organization
Supports men who have lost a spouse, life partner, child, parent, or sibling by providing resources, support groups and a Widower-to-Widower Peer Support Program which offers personal connection with trained volunteers who are also widowers. - SafePlace Support Groups for Suicide Loss Survivors
Virtual support groups. - Virtual Meetings for Parents and Guardians Who Have Lost a Child to Suicide
Support groups facilitated by trained volunteers who have themselves experienced a similar loss. - Virtual Suicide Grief Support Group for the LGBTQAI+ Community
A peer-led support group, facilitated by fellow LGBTQ2SIA+ suicide loss survivor.
Books
- The After Journey – A Survivor’s Guide Ater the Death of a Loved One by Suicide
Written by parents who lost their 14-year-old daughter to suicide (free download) - After Suicide Loss: Coping with Your Grief
Guides family members through events and reactions that often occur during the first years following suicide and beyond. - Ask Me: 30 Things I Want You to Know. Living Beyond Suicide – Helping Yourself or Helping a Friend
Written by parents who lost their adult son to suicide.
Resources for those supporting others
Contact
Galli Murray
Suicide Prevention Coordinator
971-201-8468
gallimur@clackamas.us
For time sensitive needs or for immediate attention or support, please use our 24/7 Crisis and Support Line at 503-655-8585 or call or text 988.
