Thursday, November 21, 2024
11/21/2024
Project Life Worth Living, led by Maine Behavioral Healthcare (MBH), will reduce suicide ideation, suicide attempts, and deaths due to suicide among adults residing in eight rural counties across southern, western, and coastal Maine. MBH will leverage progress made to implement elements of the Zero Suicide framework—developing a leadership council, completing an organizational self-study and workforce survey, implementing C-SSRS and CASE assessments, and training an initial cohort of clinicians in CBT-SP—to fully implement the ZS framework across eight outpatient clinics and seven emergency departments. The project will serve approximately 12,500 unduplicated individuals per year. The target region includes 56% of Maine’s population, approximately 625,000 individuals 18 years and older, including 51% female; 94% white; and approximately 5% LGBTQ+. The suicide rate within the region is significantly higher and rising much more quickly than the national average. Five of the eight targeted counties have among the highest per 100,000 rates in the state (Oxford 31.5; Sagadahoc 28; Knox 28.4; Lincoln 27.5, and York 25.1). Suicide ranks higher as a cause of death for virtually every age group in our target area when compared to the rest of the country. For 35-44 year olds, suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death, compared to the 5th leading cause of death nationally. For those aged 45-54 years, suicide is the 4th leading cause of death, versus the 7th leading cause of death nationally. Exacerbating this issue, Maine has 19.7% of the psychiatrists it needs, ranking 37th nationally in percent of need met. Five counties in the target area are among Maine’s most underserved for mental health providers, with population to mental health provider ratios as high as 484:1 in Lincoln and 441:1 in Sagadahoc County (compared to the state 190:1 and the nation 350:1). The project will pursue the following Zero Suicide goals: (1) lead a system-wide culture change committed to reducing suicides; (2) develop and implement training programs for clinical and non-clinical healthcare workforce; (3) develop and implement a plan to screen all individuals via comprehensive screening, assessment, and re-assessment (as appropriate); (4) design suicide care management guidelines and implement suicide care management policies so individuals at risk of suicide are engaged using a suicide care management plan; (5) implement effective evidence-based treatments that directly address suicidal thoughts and behaviors; (6) develop and implement policies and procedures to transition individuals through care with warm hand-offs and supportive contacts; (7) develop and implement a strategic plan to improve policies and procedures through a continuous quality improvement plan. The project will utilize five evidence-based screening and assessment tools and three evidence-based treatment models: (1) Chronological Assessment of Suicide Events (CASE); (2) Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS); (3) Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR); (4) Stanley-Brown Safety Plan; (5) Suicide Assessment Five-Step Evaluation and Triage (SAFE-T); (6) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT); (7) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Suicide Prevention (CBT-SP); (8) Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS). The Project Director and Lead Evaluator will provide training and technical assistance for all providers using EBPs, ensuring fidelity through learning collaboratives, checklists, and interviews.
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).
