“Seventy percent of suicidal individuals indicate their indentations in some way, and the workplace may be the last place they do so before acting. Death by suicide, attempts at and even thoughts of suicide are the desperate actions of a person who is feeling isolated, seriously depressed, and convinced that there is no other solution to “fix” their life. Often there are indirect signs such as talking about not being around much longer, asking someone to care for pets, taking all personal effects home from the office, or giving away possessions. There are times when the individual will openly admit to contemplating suicide, hoping that someone will take them seriously. Telling your coworker that you are concerned will NOT cause them to take that step; instead it may save their life. If you are concerned about a coworker, remember the ACT principle: Acknowledge your concern; take it seriously and be willing to listen. Care—take the initiative and voice your concern to your coworker or supervisor, then help your coworker obtain Treatment immediately.”WorkingMinds, was founded by Sally Spencer-Thomas, Psy.D. She is the Executive Director of the Carson J Spencer Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to “ “Sustaining a Passion for Life” through innovative suicide prevention programs targeting the working aged population, social enterprise funding mental health initiatives and support for emerging leaders and entrepreneurs.
The Working Minds website is very comprehensive, offering “practical tools that are easily understood and adopted by our affiliates. Working Minds is innovative, advancing the mental health field with what is possible rather than what has always been done. Our positive messages that change can happen inspires hope and engages people in meaningful ways.”
Working Minds offers a Suicide Prevention Toolkit on their website Workingminds.org. “Just as workplaces have realized they can make an impact on reducing heart disease by encouraging exercise, they can also make an impact on reducing suicide by promoting mental health and encouraging early identification and intervention.”
Last, but certainly not least, they offer a FREE downloadable white paper: Suicide Prevention in the Workplace: Whose Responsibility is it?
The Pietra House in Ireland offers several innovative programs, including “Mind Your Buddy”, geared specifically toward men. They suggest we practice APR: Learn more about their services and innovative programs.
A…Ask – Are you Suicidal?
P…Persuade – Them to get Help
R…Refer – Refer them to Pieta House
At-Risk is an interactive, online training program that teaches faculty how to identify, approach, and refer at-risk students to counseling services. In this 45-minute simulation, trainees assume the role of faculty members in a fictional university where they analyze students’ profiles to identify those who could possibly pose a danger to themselves or others. Learn more
“Suicide Prevention: Leveraging the Workplace”, an article from the Winter 2009 edition of EAP Digest, written by Rich Paul, MSW, CEAP and Edward Jones, PhD discusses the business case for building suicide into the violence prevention practices for your workplace.
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