Tuesday, April 23, 2024
4/23/2024
The COVID-19 pandemic disaster is different from any other that Missouri or our country has ever experienced. In response to COVID-19, Missouri's Suicide Response for COVID-19 Project (MSRCP), Department of Mental Health (DMH) will collaborate with two mental health providers: Compass Health Network and Behavioral Health Response (BHR) to serve adults age 25 and older at-risk for suicide, including those at-risk for domestic violence. Currently, suicide is the 10th overall leading cause of death both national and in Missouri. In Missouri, it is also the leading cause of death for individuals between 10-44 years of age. The COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to exacerbate these numbers and contribute to an alarming number of Missourians needing urgent care to address their mental health needs, including suicidality. MSCRP will work to mitigate these results and reduce the overall number of suicides through the integration of suicide prevention in healthcare systems in counties devastated by COVID-19. This project will utilize effective practices for suicide outreach, assessment, intervention, and treatment to provide rapid follow-up for adults accessing emergency departments and inpatient hospitals due to a suicidal crisis and/or domestic violence. MSRCP will provide rapid response services across twelve high-risk counties due to suicide rates, COVID-19 cases, and domestic violence. These counties include six urban and six rural counties. the selected urban counties have the highest number of COVID-19 cases and deaths, the highest number of suicides, the more rural counties have lower COVID-19, but tend to have higher suicide rates than the urban areas and higher rates of domestic violence. MSRCP will provide services to a mix of both urban and rural areas to cover those most at-risk. Over the 16 month project period, MSRCP will serve over 2,000 at-risk adults, with over 500 of those being victims of domestic violence. MSRCP will align community-based efforts through working in partnership with the Missouri Suicide Prevention Network to establish a statewide communications approach for suicide awareness, a rapid response plan and obtaining real-time data to guide continuous efforts. Statewide training will be provided on evidence-based practices and recommendations including 1)Best practices in care transitions for individuals with suicide risk: Inpatient care to outpatient care and the Recommended Standard Care for People with Suicide Risk: Making Health Care Suicide Safe, 2) Collaborative Assessment and management of Suicidality, 3) Counseling on Access to Lethal Means, 4) Trauma-informed care and domestic violence best practices, and 5) Stanley Brown safety planning training. Trainings will primarily be virtual to safely reach as many service providers as possible. Through the multi-pronged approach of utilizing 1) intensive, emergency suicide response for adults and domestic violence victims, 2) coordination with Missouri Suicide Prevention Network to address statewide community recovery supports, and 3) utilization of evidence-based trainings; MSRCP will significantly reduce the suicide rate and number of suicides in Missouri. MSRCP is directly in line with SAMHSA's initiative to reduce the number of suicides nationally and mitigate the behavioral health impacts of COVID-19.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
