Partners in Community (PiC), has a robust history of implementing innovative prevention initiatives in its community of 13,185 residents located at the southern end of Middlesex County on Long Island Sound. . Over the last 15 years, the town of Clinton has experienced an alarming rate of suicides, sometimes more than one in a short period. PiC convened a community task force to understand the local conditions and identify action steps. One high risk population was young men, age 18-25.
The first step was convening community conversations; 120 people attended the first one wanting to talk but not sure how to address this challenging topic. Two speakers who lost family members to suicide dispelled myths about suicide. Additional community conversations addressed:
1. What are we doing well?
2. What are we missing?
3. What can we do here in Clinton?
A fourth community conversation will address practical steps such as normalizing the conversation about suicide and promoting resources.
PiC and community partners implemented and planned the following suicide prevention activities:
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Conducted Question, Persuade and Referral (QPR) suicide prevention trainings for ninety (90) people at Morgan School (Clinton’s high school) and almost 600 community residents.
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Collaborated with the athletic director and coaches to support athletes. Eighty percent (80%) of Morgan School students are involved in athletics. Athletes report stress balancing high expectations in both academics and athletics.
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Convened a Captains Council of athletic team captains to talk about leadership and mental health conduct QPR training for them.
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Trained coaches in QPR and to talk with athletes in high impact sports about opioid use and healthy alternatives.
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Created a brochure to encourage youth and parents to talk with physicians about safe use of opioids and healthy alternatives to treating injuries and pain.
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Created community billboards which asks:
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1) How are you? We are here to talk.
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2) It’s ok to talk about it.
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Used a grant to offer free counseling.
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Planned a Clinton Cares event to provide different resources and mental health wellness activities to the community.
REACT, the PiC Youth Council has a long history of creating and leading prevention activities and collaborate on the suicide prevention initiative:
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Creating a new social marketing campaign for teens that normalizes honest, authentic conversations about mental health.
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Planning a 5K mental health walk in May 2023 to raise awareness with Morgan School staff and students.
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Sponsor free, fun activities for peers including movie nights, dodgeball, pizza and resources
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Hosting fun activities at their REACT meetings along with prevention training and planning prevention initiatives for peers.
For additional information, contact Ben Eaves and Shelby Mehmet.
