You have the power to help people going through a mental health crisis.
You don't need to be an expert to be a part of this work - just a good listener. If you notice someone who might be struggling — start a conversation. And if all is well, that person will know you're someone who cares enough to ask. Asking, "Are you okay?" can change lives.
Be there for someone who might be struggling or in crisis
- Learn the warning signs of suicide, and the five actions for communicating with someone in crisis.
- Take a training! Sign up for Mental Health First Aid and other trainings by visiting gettrainedtohelp.com.
- Find data on mental health and suicide in your community at http://www.blueprintclackamas.com/
Useful phone numbers
- Clackamas County Crisis Line
503-655-8585
Provides 24/7, free, and confidential support. - Crisis Text Line
Text HOME to 741741 24/7 | crisistextline.org/texting-in - National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
800-273-TALK
Provides 24/7, free, and confidential support. Military veterans may press ‘1’ for specialized care. - Oregon Youthline
877-968-8491
Text: teen2teen to 839863
Chat: online
Email: youthl@linesforlife.org - Senior Loneliness Line
503-200-1633
Provides 24/7, free, and confidential support to older adults. - The Trevor Project Suicide Prevention Lifeline for LGBTQ youth
1-866-4-U-TREVOR (866-488-7386) - Trans Lifeline's Peer Support Hotline
877-565-8860
Peer support service run by trans people. - Veterans Crisis Line
1-800-273-8255 press #1
Download resources
Flyers with phone number
Pocket-sized resource cards
Tri-county resource flyers
Coalition for Suicide Prevention of Clackamas County
This community-led coalition collaborates on ways to prevent suicide and support people who have experienced suicide loss. Those participating decide the priorities for action.
Examples of priorities include:
- Encourage outreach and communication for suicide prevention
- Improve equitable access and coordination for treatment, services & supports
- Increase awareness of risk factors and warning signs
The coalition meets the third Tuesday of every month (except August) at 4:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome. Email Kathy Turner kturner@clackamas.us for more information.
Suicide Fatality Review Committee (SFR)
Clackamas County is seeking an individual with lived experience as a suicide loss survivor or attempt survivor to serve as a core member of the Suicide Fatality Review (SFR) committee.
Individuals will:
- Live or work in Clackamas County
- Not be an employee of Clackamas County
- Make a minimum commitment of one year
- Attend every meeting (4 meetings a year; 3-hour meetings)
- Sign an initial confidentiality statement and another at every review
- Be in recovery for a minimum of 5 years from suicide loss or suicide attempt
- Given the nature of this work, the individual will need to demonstrate the ability to speak to the availability of formal or informal supports and practices for self-care
- Receive a $50 stipend for each meeting
Suicide is a priority health issue in Clackamas County. The Blueprint for A Healthy Clackamas (2017 – 2020), the County’s Community Health Improvement Plan identifies this key health need. The county’s age adjusted rate of suicide of 15.9 is the highest in the tri-county region, and higher than the national rate of 14.0. (Oregon Health Authority, 2017).
The data obtained in the review process informs the prevention activities of the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Clackamas County to reach Clackamas County’s vision of zero suicides. The SFR itself is a multidisciplinary group of professionals and community members made up of a core committee with ad hoc members attending as necessary. The committee only reviews deaths from suicide where next of kin have given consent.
The purpose of SFR is to identify needs and gaps in our community and provide suggestions on implementing prevention and intervention activities, not place blame or single out a particular agency or individual. Suicide Fatality Review meetings will be structured to have a brief review of the case, followed by core and ad hoc members sharing any relevant information from their organization that was not present in the medical examiner’s report. The group then reviews individual risk and protective factors from the medical examiner’s report and provides suggestions for future system improvements. A focus on self-care, in an effort to acknowledge the potential emotional strain of death reviews on members, will occur in every meeting.
Objectives of SFR:
- Ensure uniform and consistent reporting regarding factors influencing suicide.
- Improve communication among agency systems and enhance coordination of efforts.
- Improve the delivery of services.
- Identify specific barriers and system issues involved in deaths.
- Identify significant risk factors and trends in deaths.
- Identify and advocate for needed changes in policy and practices and expanded efforts in health and safety to prevent deaths.
- Increase community awareness and advocacy for the issues that affect the health and safety of our community.
The SFR will meet four times annually to review deaths. Members of the core committee will be:
- Clackamas County Chief Medicolegal Death Investigator
- Health, Housing & Human Services (H3S) Suicide Prevention Coordinator
- H3S Public Health Division Epidemiologist
- Community member with lived experience as a suicide loss survivor or attempt survivor
If you are interested in being a part of the SFR as a core committee member with lived experience as a suicide loss survivor or attempt survivor, please click on the apply button above. If you have questions about this opportunity, please contact Galli Murray, Clackamas County Suicide Prevention Coordinator at gallimur@clackamas.us.
Eligible individuals will be invited to meet with members of the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Clackamas County for further discussion about this opportunity.