[YSPNetwork] AFSP Northwest News

Fri Nov 26 17:47:55 PST 2004

December 2004/January 2005	AFSP Northwest News

NEW AND BETTER COMMUNICATION PLANNED

     	Jonathan Manheim, a survivor from Bainbridge
Island, WA, attended AFSP Northwest's annual retreat,
and, when he learned there of some of the growing
pains our 5-year-old organization is experiencing with
internet communication, he volunteered to lend a hand.
So, if you enjoy this newsletter by email and would
like to continue receiving it and other information
from AFSP Northwest, kindly  send an email to
members-request at afspnwlist.info, putting only
'subscribe' or 'join' (no quotes) in the message body.
Jon is creating a listserve that would arrive without
your own email address printed at the top, and can be
sent out by this editor with one simple push of a
button. If you have questions, or would like help with
the above, send an email to Jon at
admin at afspnwlist.info. 
	If this newsletter has come to you by snail mail and
you would like to continue receiving it, please
contact Marcy Anhaltzer (503-697-4218 or
jeffmarcy at aol.com) or Linda Skibinski (503-636-2591 or
afspnw at yahoo.com). Marcy has volunteered to copy and
send out all the hard copies of this newsletter. Thank
you, Jon and Marcy. –Linda Skibinski, editor

NATIONAL NEWS:   

FUNDS APPROPRIATED FOR GARRETT SMITH ACT

Washington, D.C. (November 22, 2004) – The Suicide
Prevention Action Network (SPAN USA) today applauded
Congress for appropriating $10 million to youth
suicide prevention initiatives as part of the Garrett
Lee Smith Memorial Act, signed into law on October 21,
2004.  The act authorized $82 million over three years
to states, Indian tribes and colleges and universities
for the development of youth suicide prevention and
intervention programs.
Of the $10 million, $3 million will go towards the
Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC). This center
provides prevention support, training and
informational materials to strengthen the efforts of
coalitions, task forces, alliances and professional
groups working to implement suicide prevention
programs. The SPRC was appropriated by Congress to
build capacity, serve as clearing house for
information, provide technical assistance, and build
the suicide prevention evidence base.
The remaining $7 million will go towards grants and
co-operative agreements to develop and implement
statewide and tribal youth suicide early intervention
and prevention strategies in schools, educational
institutions, juvenile justice systems, substance
abuse programs, mental health programs, foster care
systems, and other child and youth support
organizations.

AFSP  SPEAKS OUT IN CONTROVERSY OVER LABELING FOR 
ANTIDEPRESSANTS

The Fall 2004 issue of Lifesavers, AFSP's newsletter,
spotlights the current controversy over the safety of
antidepressants and their labeling as to risks for
youth.  AFSP's President Dr. J. John Mann testified to
the FDA Committee in September urging federal advisors
to consider all aspects of this complex issue and to
understand that untreated depression, not
antidepressant medication, is a greater threat to
life. Letters from AFSP to committee advisors as well
as to members of the House Subcommittee on Oversight
and Investigations also cited data that shows areas of
the U.S. that have experienced the greatest increase
in SSRI prescription rates have also had the greatest
drop in suicide rates in both youth and adults.
Further, AFSP letters stated a need for better
monitoring of patients taking these medications as
well as for more research and for improved media
coverage of this complicated issue. For more info on
this topic, go to www.afsp.org 

SURVIVOR ANECDOTES AND PICTURES SOUGHT

Bev Cobain, respected advocate for suicide prevention
and the author of the excellent When Nothing Matters
Anymore, a  book for teens on the subject of
depression, is developing  a second book. She writes
from her home in Costa Rica, "My book will address
survivors. I am hoping to use photos of loved ones
lost to suicide on the cover. If this interests you,
please contact me by email at bevcobain at racsa.co.cr. I
am looking for full face photos, not necessarily
professionally done, and to represent all ages and
races.
	" Among other topics relating to survivors, the book
will include a chapter using stories of 'connections'
survivors have experienced with their loved one
following the suicide.  These connections seem to run
the gamut between simply feeling that the loved one is
near, to more distinct experiences which convince the
survivor that their loved one is safe and cared for. 
If you have had an experience of this nature, no
matter how unbelievable you think it sounds, please
contact me at the above e-mail address.  Names need
not be used in the book." 

IN THE NORTHWEST

THREE SURVIVORS HONORED FOR PREVENTION WORK

AFSP Northwest's annual awards for work in suicide
prevention were announced by Dr. Kirk Wolfe at this
year's Survivors of Suicide Day Conferences.  Flemming
Funch was the recipient for Washington.  Flemming  is
a survivor who lost a brother to suicide.  He was
honored by Dr. Wolfe as a "Pillar of Prevention"  for
his daily work counseling with adolescent attempters,
the many ASIST trainings around the country that he
has led, as well as his long-time activism and
advocacy with Kitsap County's Prevention Task Force,
AFSP Northwest and other agencies devoted to
prevention. 
  	  Pete Trepanier was Oregon's recipient. After
losing a college-age son to suicide, Pete and his wife
Poochie channeled their grief into prevention efforts
in Bend area schools. Working with educators there, a
variety of school based models were evaluated with the
Jason Foundation curriculum ultimately selected for
high schools and the Red Flagg program, for middle
schools. The success of the piloted programs has
spread, with Grant County schools currently poised to
join in. The Trepanier 5-year plan calls for the
future use of The Columbia Teen Screen to find at risk
youth and the implementation of ASIST training for
teachers.
	A third award should be noted: The Oregon Council of
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry presented it to
Senator Gordon Smith and his wife Sharon whose grief
following the death of their son has now been
translated into prevention efforts through the
recently passed legislation that will literally save
countless lives.

NORTHWEST 'OUT OF THE DARKNESS WALK'  A SUCCESS

Three cheers for AFSP Northwest Board Member Laurie
Herber who chaired our chapter's first "Out of the
Darkness Walk," for all who organized teams of
individuals who either donated and/or participated,
and for the approximately one hundred and twenty
hearty individuals who turned out the morning of
September 17. It was rainy, windy and somewhat chilly,
but spirits were high, as marchers circled the walk
along the Willamette River, crossing two bridges and
looping back to the walk's start.  Participants came
from all over Oregon and Washington and one even as
far away as San Diego. The morning's efforts netted
over $12,000. 

SUICIDE PREVENTION EDUCATION KIT LAUNCHED

     	After many, many months, AFSP Northwest's
Suicide Prevention Kit  is now available. The manual,
inspired to a large extent by Washington's Youth
Suicide Prevention work, contains information about
resources in Oregon and Washington, current
statistics,  models for presentation and the training
of presenters as well as a PowerPoint disk with
materials. It also includes a 10 minute video with
survivors sharing stories about the warning signs they
missed  and an inspiring interview by one whose loved
one received treatment and is healthy today. The film
is directed by Curley Johnson of Heaping Teaspoon
Films in Portland who also directed AFSP's film on
college suicide "The Truth about Suicide" as well as
the award  winning PSA "Suicide Shouldn't Be a
Secret."  Thanks to grants from The Alberta S. Kimball
Foundation and from The PGE-Enron Foundation, AFSP
Northwest's Suicide Prevention Kit is available free
to groups seeking to develop suicide prevention
programs in their communities or schools. To receive
one, please contact Marcy Anhaltzer (jeffmarcy at aol.com
or 503-697-4218) or Linda Skibinski
(afspnw at yahoo.com).

OREGON  VINTNER PLEDGES DONATION

New on the market,  "Wine by Joe" debuted last July. 
Vintner Joe Dobbs, a second generation Oregon
winemaker, has pledged a percentage of each case sold
to AFSP Northwest in memory of his brother who died by
suicide.  At a festive Harvest Party, held Nov. 20 at
the Wild Pear Restaurant in Salem, board member Laurie
Herber was presented the first check made out to AFSP
Northwest. It was for nearly $1000. 

AFSP NORTHWEST WELCOMES NEW BOARD MEMBERS AND ADVISORS

A number of new board members and advisors have joined
AFSP Northwest. Co-Chair Ron Bloodworth asked each to
write a little about him/herself to help us get
acquainted. Two are below; more will be included in
future newsletters.

DONNA L.SCHUURMAN, EdD., CT,  is National Director of
The Dougy Center for Grieving Children & Families. She
has written and trained internationally on grief,
loss, and suicide postvention, and is the author of
Never the Same: Coming to Terms with the Death of a
Parent (St.Martin’s Press). Dr. Schuurman served as
President of the Association for Death Education &
Counseling, and in 2003 received its Annual Service
Award and is a member of the International Work Group
on Death and Dying. 

DAVID WESTBROOK, Director of Oregon Partnership’s
Helpline Services, holds an M.S. in Conflict
Resolution from Portland State University and a B.S.
in Psychology from the University of Oregon. His
experience includes working with at-risk youth
populations in a variety of settings.  His first
crisis line experience was through the University of
Oregon crisis line in 1992.  He led the certification
efforts that established Oregon Partnership as one of
only three crisis line agencies in Oregon to be
certified through the American Association of
Suicidology.  David has been serving in an advisory
capacity to the National Suicide Prevention Initiative
through SAMHSA

SURVIVORS OF SUICIDE DAY CONFERENCES AT SIX SITES IN
NORTHWEST:

EDITOR'S NOTE:  Four regional sites have reported in
on their experiences, which as far as attending
numbers, varied considerably, as you will read below.
Those of us who have worked on these conferences
before or who do presentations on suicide prevention
know how little numbers ultimately matter. Every
person who attends is brought there by real needs, and
is helped by the information and support they find,
while we on the other end are able to take another
step forward on our road toward healing.

 	SPOKANE, WA:  Our Spokane conference wasn't well
attended by a lot of people... we only had one
attendee.  I know in some people's minds that would
say we didn't do our job right or they wouldn't bother
again due to no attendance, but I would say we were
successful. That one attendee had recently lost her 18
year old son to suicide and really needed the one on
one help/support my team and I could give.  We
certainly learned a lot... and now know who/where to
go to for the 'muscle' in getting us advertised on the
television.  We will also be holding next year's
Conference in a more neutral setting.  We were rushed
this year and had to take what we could get, and 
believe some people might not have felt comfortable
coming into a church for the conference. --Connie
Fricke, aquarianstar at hotmail.com

EUGENE, OR: The National Survivors of Suicide Day
hosted in Eugene drew 29 participants supported by 18
staff comprised of volunteers, counselors, organizers
and panelists. The day began  with survivor Darlene
Baker and Senator Vicki Walker and ended with an
emotional candle lighting ceremony with each of the
participants honoring their lost loved one(s). For
many participants, the most valuable part of the day
was connecting with others who had experienced a
similar loss.
For others, the panel discussion which focused on
survivor skills was most 
valuable. The president of the Oregon Association of
Marriage and Family 
Therapists, Dr. Dave McWherter, highlighted issues
that the entire family faces emphasizing the
importance of honoring one another and compromising
while Dr. Robin Holmes focused on issues that
individuals face. Cheryl Coughran from Courageous Kids
discussed how to approach holiday traditions.
Charlotte Herkshan from the Warm Springs Tribe shared
Native American ceremonies, such as "picking up
tears". Survivor Darlene Baker talked about her
transformation through working in prevention, and Jill
Hollingsworth invited survivors who were ready to
become involved in prevention to take that step.
We achieved our primary outcome with the conference in
generating interest in a local bereavement group for
suicide loss. We would like to thank our 
sponsors: Looking Glass Youth and Family Services,
Sacred Heart Medical 
Center, The Jennifer Baker Fund and State Senator
Vicki Walker.--Jill Hollingworth, jillh at efn.org

BOTHELL, WA:  I hope a number of you participated in a
teleconference yesterday.  Leigh and I attended the
one at the UW campus in Bothell, WA.  It was pretty
well attended, drawing 35-40 people.  There were
several tables set up with literature, two survivor
quilts on display, and lots of pastries and coffee.
 	We viewed the teleconference on a large projection
screen.  The agenda featured several speeches,
including one by Bob Gebbia, National Director of
AFSP, and information about the next Out of the
Darkness event to be held in Chicago in the summer of
2005.  Some film clips of the last event were shown.
If I can be allowed a personal comment here, I would
like to urge everyone to participate in the walk and
fundraiser coming up this summer.  My wife Leigh and I
did the last one and although it was a huge physical
challenge, it was a moving and emotional experience as
well.  We spent six months fundraising and training
and raised over $10,000 for AFSP.  The event itself
raised over $1.2 million and drew over 2200 walkers. 
I cannot describe what it was like to walk through
suburban Virginia through the night in that river of
humanity, nor can I adequately describe the emotions I
felt, walking among them in loving memory of our son
Garth, as thousands lined the route to support us,
cheer us on, applaud us, and thank us for our
commitment and effort.  It was a truly unique
experience.  If anyone is planning on participating,
contact me about joining an AFSP-NW team.
 	The teleconference also featured a panel discussion
of survivors, including a man who had lost both his
wife and his daughter to suicide, who spoke eloquently
about how they coped with their personal tragedies and
how much they have learned about the mental disorders
that were the root causes of their loved ones'
suicides.
 	After the teleconference, we had our own panel
discussion of mental health professionals (I wish I
remembered all the names, but I don't) who answered
questions from the members present.  One of the first
questions, about getting help for survivors came from
a young man who revealed that his father had died by
suicide mere days previously.  There was a collective
gasp from the audience when he said this, and the
panel, as well as several people offered advice for
getting help as well as expressing admiration for his
courage in being there and sorrow for his family's
loss. 
Finally, Leigh Manheim gave an impassioned plea for
activism in the legislative arena.  Pointing out that
at present, all school districts are free to discuss
or ignore the subject of mental health and suicide,
while they are mandated to discuss other health
problems such as AIDS, Leigh urged the group to demand
of our legislators that they take action to place
mandatory mental illness and suicide prevention
information into the health curricula of our public
schools statewide.
 	On another personal note, I'll say that Leigh,
working under the tireless direction of Sue Eastgard,
has been trying for years to accomplish this
curriculum change with a piecemeal approach.  However,
as dedicated as they are, there are still many school
districts who refuse to accept the importance of this
education and are unwilling, for whatever reasons, to
add this vital information to their programs.  It has
become obvious that the only effective way to do this
is through legislative action, and I urge all members
of AFSP-NW in both Washington and Oregon, to become
active in pressing our state legislatures to take
action.  --Jon Manheim, jonma at bainbridge.net

PORTLAND, OR:  About 50 people attended the Survivors
Day Conference at Oregon Health Sciences University in
Portland last Saturday, November 20. After a brief
welcome and review of the day's agenda, the
participants viewed the teleconference from AFSP in
New York. Afterwards,  facilitators described the New
Survivors and the Long-Term Survivors breakout
sessions that would follow after the brunch. During
brunch, participants had an opportunity to network,
socialize, and visit the bookstore provided by Annie
Blooms Books in Portland. After brunch, participants
attended a breakout sessions. Janis Lamb with Suicide
Bereavement Support and Marilyn Grover, AFSP NW Board
Member, facilitated the New Survivors breakout
session; AFSP NW Board Members, Joan Hoff and Sally
Stevens, facilitated the Long-Term Survivors session.
Following the breakouts, a "Healing Through
Prevention" panel featuring Linda Skibinski, Nancy
Johnson, Donna Noonan, Kirk Wolfe, MD, and Joan
Schweizer Hoff, offered participants information about
suicide prevention opportunities. A brief Q & A
followed the panel presentation. Kirk Wolfe, MD,
announced the annual AFSP NW Awards for outstanding
contributions to suicide prevention in the Northwest
to Flemming Funch for Washington and to Pete Trepanier
for Oregon. Though neither recipient was present,
Donna Noonan accepted the award on Pete's behalf. Ron
Bloodworth accepted  Flemming's. Marilyn Grover then
led participants in a candlelight closing ceremony
where survivors had an opportunity to call out the
names of loved ones lost to suicide. –Ron Bloodworth,
ronpdx at comcast.net

Goals Set at AFSP Northwest's October Retreat

    	 Twenty four participants, including  board
members new and old and those simply wanting to learn
more about the organization spent the day at
Portland's Dougy Center. Jann Pittman, the
organization's Executive Director, facilitated a
lively morning discussion that involved brainstorming
about some of the organization's past accomplishment,
setting new goals, and then dividing into committees
charged with accomplishing some of those goals.
Hopefully the next year will bring a training for more
education presenters and collection of statistics on
presentations given, development of a database for the
organization, and improvements to the website. After
lunch, Judy Redler, the NAMI representative most
responsible for bringing Clackamas County schools the
Columbia Teen Screen talked about that process and its
results: the high number of youngsters now receiving
help for depression and suicidality. Other NAMI
representatives presented "In Our Own Voice," 
powerfully depicting what it's like to live with
mental illness. The day concluded with a fun Thai
dinner at the home of board member Nancy Ward.

Oregon Department of Human Services Teleconference
Provides Prevention Education

The Oregon Youth Suicide Prevention Program held its
first teleconference training on November 17th,
presenting a new PowerPoint presentation,
"Understanding and Preventing Youth Suicide."
Participants will receive a CD of the presentation,
including slides, discussion notes, and a bibliography
of resources to adapt and use to educate others in
their own communities about youth suicide prevention.
Seventy-plus people from Oregon and Washington
attended, including people from public health, mental
health, colleges and universities, hospitals, AFSP NW,
and alcohol and drug prevention programs. We'll hold
another teleconference in January. Contact Donna
Noonan
(donna.noonan at state.or.us) if you are interested in
attending.

HOLIDAY MYTHS ABOUT SUICIDE:  The Fall 2004 Member
Update from The American Association of Suicidology
includes this timely reminder:  
Each year, AAS and other suicide prevention
organizations are questioned about the relationship
between suicide and the holiday season by the media
and general public. This widely accepted myth stems
from the idea that the holiday season, although
pleasant for some, is a very stressful and difficult
time for others. In fact, suicides are typically
lowest in the winter months and highest in the spring
and summer months. Although not statistically
significant, this trend has been relatively consistent
over time. McIntosh, J.L. (2003). American Association
of Suicidology 2000 Offical USA Statistics Overhead
Set, p. 47-48.

BOOK WATCH:   A new book by Kay Redfield Jamison is
always cause for excitement. In "Exuberance: the
Passion for Life," the professor of psychiatry at
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, a
MacArthur 'genius grant' winner, and author of the
beloved "An Unquiet Mind" and other books, notes that
her profession has tended to focus on negative aspects
of mood disorders. "We have given sorrow many words,"
she writes, "but a passion for life, few." Not so
"Exuberance,"  which traces the emotion's biological
evolution and looks at how it moves animals and humans
to play, to explore, and to experience joy. 

EVENTS COMING UP

--Can you see yourself giving a short presentation on
suicide prevention to a PTA or civic group? A training
to do educational presentations in  the Portland Area
area is planned for February. Time and place are being
negotiated. Please contact Ron Bloodworth
(ronpdxcomcast.net or 503-282-9394) if you are
interested.

--AFSP Support Group Facilitator Training Program
	April 8 - 9, 2005
	Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel
	8235 NE Airport Way
	Portland Oregon

In response to feedback from support group
facilitators around the 
country The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
(AFSP) has developed a comprehensive, hands on
training program to help survivors learn the
"how-to's" of creating and facilitating a support
group. It is appropriate both for survivors who would
like to start a suicide support group and those who
currently facilitate a group and would like to
increase their skills and knowledge
AFSP NW is the local chapter sponsoring this training
and it is hoped 
that new groups will develop in the Northwest as a
result of this training. The workshop will be
conducted by professionals in the field of suicide
bereavement and experienced group facilitators. This
is an opportunity to have questions answered, hear new
ideas, practice your skills and learn about self care.
The program begins on Friday, April 8 at 1:00 pm and
concludes on 
Saturday, April 9 at 3:30 pm. The cost is $100, which
includes a working dinner,
Friday evening, breakfast and lunch on Saturday, and
all training materials.
There is limited scholarship money available. For
additional information or to register for the training
contact Joanne Harpel, AFSP Director of Survivor
Initiatives at 212 363 3500 ext. 32. jharpel at afsp.org
or www.afsp.org

--Suicide Prevention Resource Centers Plans Conference
in Portland

Advance Notice: The Suicide Prevention Resource Center
(SPRC) will hold a Suicide Prevention conference in
Portland for Public Health Regions 
IX and X on February 28, March 1st, and March 2nd.
Save the date now -
there'll be more information available later. If you
want to be among the first to know details about the
SPRC conference, other events and activities, new
resources, and up-to-date statistics, join the Youth
Suicide Prevention Network Listserv (YSPNetwork). It's
FREE and it's specifically for people in the Pacific
Northwest who are interested and involved in youth
suicide prevention (youth being ages 10-24)! To join,
go to:
http://listsmart.osl.state.or.us/mailman/listinfo/yspnetwork,
enter
your name, email address, and a password and press
"Subscribe." Hit
"Reply" when you get an automatic confirmation email,
and you'll be a
member! –Donna Noonan, donna.noonan at state.or.us

***********************************************************

The next AFSP Northwest Board meeting will be held
Thursday, January 13. It is open and may be attended
in person or by phone.  For details, please contact
Ron Bloodworth (ronpdx at comcast.net or 503-282-93940).

And, again,  if you wish to continue receiving this
newsletter, please see the first paragraph above.
Thank you, Linda Skibinski, editor

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

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