DMH Releases FY 17 Progress Report for Suicide Prevention Plan
The Mississippi Suicide Prevention Plan Workgroup was formed in April 2016 to finalize the state’s efforts in developing a formal plan to help combat a public health issue that affects people of all ages, races, and gender – suicide.
Mississippi’s State Suicide Prevention Plan was released in September 2016. The three-year plan was divided into four main sections – Assessment, Capacity, Goals and Objectives, and Stories. The Assessment portion of the plan gathered data that addressed demographic information about our state and trends that have occurred over the years in the mental health field. The Capacity section examined current state resources that are available to address this public health issue at the current time. The Goals and Objectives were data-driven targets that point to the progress we hope to make with this plan. The Stories were included to help shatter the silence around suicide – thoughts of taking your own life are not thoughts that someone should keep inside.
Over the last year fiscal year, the Mississippi Department of Mental Health and partners across the state have diligently worked to make progress with the objectives in the plan. This report highlights the state’s efforts from September 2016 through June 2017. While we are proud of the strides that have been made in developing awareness and increasing knowledge about suicide, there is still significant progress to be made. DMH and its partners will continue to make suicide prevention a priority.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to this report.