Suicide Prevention

Welcome to Solano County Behavioral Health's (SCBH) Suicide Prevention page. The purpose of this site is to outline for the community the specific strategies SCBH and the Solano County Suicide Prevention Committee is implementing to combat stigma and reduce suicide deaths in Solano County including information regarding: the Suicide Prevention Coalition; Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan and Plan Updates; news and highlights of current efforts and/or trainings being implemented; status of current Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) prevention and early intervention efforts; and resources available to get connected to services as well as crisis services.

Suicide Loss & Grief Support Group
For information about the new Suicide Loss & Grief Support Group, which will be held bi-weekly beginning in February 2024, please click on the icon below. 

                             

Suicide Prevention Coalition

Mission Statement:
To inspire, equip, and mobilize all people in Solano County; to work towards a stigma and suicide free community.

Meetings:
It is our hope that working alongside consumers, peers, county and contractor staff, community members and partners we will achieve our goals of producing equitable outcomes for all the populations we serve.

Meetings are held monthly with multi-sector participation including behavioral health providers, law enforcement, health providers, faith-based partners, education partners, consumers and family members with lived experience, etc. Additionally, sub-committees are held throughout the year to work on special projects. If you are interested in learning more about the Committee, please complete the Participation Agreement or reach out to our Suicide Response Coordinator, Lori Espinosa at [email protected].

The Suicide Response Coordinator for Solano is a new role to facilitate the Suicide Prevention Coalition​ and support: 

  • Implementation of SP Strategic Plan Initiatives​ and grants
  • Support Suicide Prevention Activities​:
    • Offer community/provider trainings in EBP for suicide prevention by SCBH & CBO’s​
    • Distribution of prevention & stigma reduction materials through tabling at community events​
    • Expand means restriction education and the gun safety campaign​
    • Develop media & social media campaigns targeting underserved/high-risk populations.​
    • Collaborate and support local schools in suicide prevention education and activities.​
    • Support activities during Suicide Prevention Week and May is Mental Health Month​
    • Support Directing the Change efforts​
  • Suicide Attempt Survivors​:
    • Mobile Crisis Teams will assess, provide support, safety-plan, and if necessary, aid in hospitalization.​
    • Connection to support group and therapeutic resources.​

Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan

In 2017, a Countywide Solano County Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan was developed in partnership with the community through a comprehensive community program planning (CPP) process and presented to the Solano County Board of Supervisors in September 2017. In 2021 the Plan was updated following comprehensive CPP process which included community forums, focus groups and key informant interviews. This Plan Update is intended to be a guide for the entire County - both public and private sectors - in how to work collaboratively to combat suicide in our community. Solano County is one of seven California Counties to have a suicide prevention plan.  

  • To read the current Solano County Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan Update 2021 and become more familiar with the strategies being used to prevent suicide deaths locally, click here. 
  • To view the slide presentations used during the community forums, click here for English or here for Spanish.
  • To view the initial 2017 plan, please click here. 

Suicide Screening Project

The Solano County Suicide Prevention Committee continues to advocate for increased screening for suicide risk by both private and public behavioral health and primary care providers in Solano County. In an effort to further support this goal the Committee developed two screening questions and distributed an informational letter to local providers in September of 2020 and again in September of 2022. To learn more about this project, please see the information letter by clicking here.

Training Opportunities
Free community education & training provided by SCBH staff and CBO partners through MHSA Prevention & Early Intervention (PEI) funded contracts. These trainings include:   

  • Be Sensitive Be Brave: virtual trainings infuse culture and diversity throughout foundational workshops on suicide prevention and mental health. Community members learn to act as eyes and ears for mental health and suicidal distress, and to connect individuals to help or support. BSBB workshops are 2-hour interactive workshops that can be delivered or taken online or in person, by an experienced and caring community trainer. They are designed for helpers or all ages: children, adolescents, adults, & older adults. 
  • safeTALK: 3 hours of training. Max number of participants: 25-30 per session. For individuals 15 years and older. This is an introductory warning on "talking about suicide". This will help community members recognize warning signs of suicide and feel comfortable in asking questions surrounding suicide.
  • ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training): 16 hours of training, two 8-hour day trainings. Max number of participants: 20-25 per session. For individuals 16 years and older. This is an in-depth training on suicide and unpacks our stigma towards suicide. This training is geared towards community members, professionals, parents and anyone who would like more training on how to identify suicide warning signs, how to intervene and how to ensure someone's safety. PAL (Pathway to Assisting Life) is the intervention taught in ASIST and it is geared towards reducing the need to feel that only the police or crisis can help someone who may be having suicidal thoughts.  

Campaigns
Annually SCBH conducts outreach to local businesses that sell firearms in Solano County to distribute firearm safety brochures, which were developed in partnership between SCBH, the Solano County Sherriff-Coroner's Office, and local firearm instructors. The brochure includes information on how to approach a friend or family member who owns a firearm and may be experiencing an emotional crisis in order to encourage the individual to store his/her firearm off-site. Additionally, the brochure includes suicide prevention resources; the 24-hour National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number, the local Crisis Stabilization Unit address and phone number, and the SCBH Access Line number.  

           
 

Directing the Change is part of statewide efforts to prevent suicide, reduce stigma and discrimination related to mental illness, and to promote the mental health and wellness of students. The Directing Change Program and Hope & Justice Film Contests are for students and provide opportunities for them to learn about suicide prevention, mental health and social justice by creating short films, written works, and art projects. To learn more about the upcoming contest, please click on the icon below for a slide deck with more information.