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Jefferson County mental health, suicide prevention programs receive state funding and recognition

Watertown Daily Times (NY) - 8/31/2015

Aug. 31--Tweet

WATERTOWN -- The collaborative work of Jefferson County organizations to address and improve the region's mental and behavioral health has received statewide recognition.

The Jefferson County Suicide Prevention Coalition was recently chosen as one of five "Excellence in Suicide Prevention" award recipients by the Suicide Prevention Center of New York State.

The coalition, formed in July 2012, is a collaboration of the Jefferson County Department of Community Services, community agencies, school officials and community members.

Timothy J. Ruetten, the department's coordinator of mental health services, will accept the award Sept. 16 in Latham, Albany County. Mr. Ruetten was instrumental in the creation of the coalition three years ago.

"It really was an unmet need in our community and we were able to build it very quickly because there was so much interest," he said. "People were really looking for leadership to take the reins."

In 2011, Jefferson County had a suicide rate of 13.6 per 100,000 people, nearly double the state average of 7.2. When narrowed to residents ages 15 to 19, the suicide rate was 8.3 per 100,000, higher than the state average for that age group.

For that same year, the county's rate of hospitalization for self-inflicted injuries was 7.9 per 10,000, and 15 per 10,000 between the ages of 15 and 19.

Mr. Ruetten said the coalition was created to better organize and publicize suicide prevention efforts in the community.

"There wasn't a central entity coordinating the training," Mr. Ruetten said, "and really, there wasn't a mechanism to communicate those trainings to other interested parties. This was a better way to maximize our resources."

In the three years since its inception, the coalition has implemented three nationally recognized training programs for suicide awareness and prevention:

--"Gatekeeper Training" provides instruction for identifying and intervening with a person who is considering suicide.

--"Lifelines: A Comprehensive Suicide Awareness and Responsiveness Program for Teens" offers strategies for suicide prevention, intervention and follow-up to school counselors, teachers and other school employees.

--"Sources of Strength" is a peer-based program that helps foster resiliency in children and teens. It is offered to both students and school staff.

At its award banquet in Latham, the Suicide Prevention Center also will present two Hope and Life Awards and one Frederick B. Meservey Suicide Prevention Leadership Award.

For more information, visit http://www.preventsuicideny.org/.

INCREASED FUNDING

The Jefferson County Department of Community Services also received an increase of annual funding for another of its mental health programs.

On Tuesday, the state Office of Mental Health notified department Director Roger J. Ambrose that an annual amount of $63,500 had been approved for the county's Single Point of Access, or SPOA, program.

SPOA is a centralized intake process for referrals from schools, family members, employers or community members regarding children or adults with serious mental illness that prevents them from being able to function in everyday environments.

In Jefferson County, the SPOA program is operated by the Children's Home of Jefferson County under the oversight of the Department of Community Services.

Mr. Ambrose said these funds will allow the department to create a SPOA "intake and follow-up liaison" position. He said this will help take some of the burden off Mr. Reutten, who now spends several hours attending SPOA meetings and assisting with outreach to providers on top of his duties as mental health coordinator.

"In the past, one person handled the entire process," Mr. Ambrose said. "Having another person involved in the process will streamline it and make it of more benefit to the community."

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(c)2015 Watertown Daily Times (Watertown, N.Y.)

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