California Department of Health Care Services

The LGBTQ Youth Suicide Prevention Project will build a system of suicide prevention in high schools in five counties.  The project will promote acceptance of culturally diverse students, particularly LGBTQ youth; increase the capacity of peer and adult gatekeepers to recognize warning signs and risk factors of suicide; and increase knowledge and use of LGBTQ-specific and other suicide prevention resources.  It will also increase the number of mental health professionals in California trained to recognize and manage suicide risk among clients.  Counties selected through an RFP process will demonstrate a youth suicide or suicide attempt rate higher than the national average and commitment to LGBTQ youth suicide prevention.

Goals

• High schools in five counties have policies, procedures, and plans in place that promote school preparedness and safety for all students.
• School personnel are better equipped to recognize and respond to suicide risk among LGBTQ other students.
• Students better understand the impact of language and behavior on peers, and hot to recognize and effectively respond to warning signs of suicide among peers.
• A community-based volunteer infrastructure serves as an ongoing source of community engagement and sustainability.
• Providers are trained to provide effective suicide prevention and treatment services.

Objectives

• Complete an RFP process to identify five counties with youth suicide or suicide attempt rates higher than the national average and recruit education Consultants to provide outreach and education activities.
• Review and enhance school policies, procedures, and plans related to suicide prevention and school safety for all students.
• Provide professional development and training for teachers and school personnel to better understand LGBTQ youth health issues, how to recognize and respond to suicide risk among students (1,250 school personnel will be reached).
• Provide Lifeguard Workshops for students to promote understanding of the impact of language and actions on LGBTQ peers and how to recognize and respond to suicide risk among peers, and where to seek help (5,000 students will be reached).
• Recruit and train volunteers to become Lifeguard Workshop facilitators and community LGBTQ champions after the life of the grant (150 volunteers trained).
• Support Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk (AMSR) training in the five selected counties and build a corps of AMSR trainers statewide (1,925 mental health professionals trained).