Tompkins County Legislature Meeting: 07/17/18 05:30 PM

Governor Daniel D. Tompkins Building Department: Mental Health Department

Ithaca, NY 14850 Category: Public Health
Functional Category: Mental Health
SCHEDULED

RESOLUTION NO. DOC ID: 7950

1 Suicide Prevention Coalition Zero Suicide Initiative

2 WHEREAS, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death and is one of just three leading causes that are on the
3 rise (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, June, 2018), and
4
5 WHEREAS, although suicide prevention efforts largely focus on identifying and providing treatment for
6 people with mental health conditions, there are many additional opportunities for prevention, and
7
8 WHEREAS, suicide claimed the lives of over 1,700 New Yorkers each year, and
9
10 WHEREAS, the stigma associated with mental health and suicide works against suicide prevention by
11 discouraging persons at risk from seeking life-saving health and further traumatizes survivors of suicide, and
12
13 WHEREAS, local and state-side suicide prevention efforts should be encouraged and developed through
14 collaboration and integration to the maximum extent possible, and
15
16 WHEREAS, the Tompkins County Suicide Prevention Coalition endorses the Zero Suicide model as a
17 framework for organizational commitment to safer suicide care in health and behavioral health care systems, and
18
19 WHEREAS, suicides are preventable, now therefore be it
20
21 RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Health and Human Services Committee, That Tompkins County
22 hereby signs onto the Zero Suicide model to reduce the number of people committing suicides, commit to sharing
23 lessons learned with other counties to support a state-wide initiative and encourage all health and behavioral healthcare
24 to participate in the Zero Suicide model,
25
26 RESOLVED, further, That Tompkins County resolves to utilize the comprehensive resources available
27 through Zero Suicide to:
28
29  Lead - Create a leadership-driven, safety-oriented culture committed to dramatically reducing suicide among
30 people under care. Include survivors of suicide attempts and suicide loss in leadership and planning roles.
31
32  Train - Develop a competent, confident, and caring workforce.
33
34  Identify - Systematically identify and assess suicide risk among people receiving care.
35
36  Engage - Ensure every individual has a pathway to care that is both timely and adequate to meet his or her
37 needs. Include collaborative safety planning and restriction of lethal means.
38
39  Treat - Use effective, evidence-based treatments that directly target suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
40
41  Transition - Provide continuous contact and support, especially after acute care.
42
43  Improve - Apply a data-driven quality improvement approach to inform system changes that will lead to
44 improved patient outcomes and better care for those at risk.
45
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 Resolution (ID # 7950) Meeting of July 17, 2018

1 SEQR ACTION: TYPE II 20

Updated: 7/3/2018 2:47 PM by Catherine Covert Page 2

 Tompkins County Legislature Meeting: 07/17/18 05:30 PM
Governor Daniel D. Tompkins Building Department: Mental Health Department
Ithaca, NY 14850 Category: Public Health
Functional Category: Mental Health
SCHEDULED

RESOLUTION NO. DOC ID: 7950

1
2 Tompkins County hereby signs onto the Zero Suicide model to reduce the number of people committing suicides,
3 commit to sharing lessons learned with other counties to support a stat-wide initiative and encourage all health
4 and behavioral healthcare to participate in the Zero Suicide model. We resolve to utilize the comprehensive
5 resources available through Zero Suicide.

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