Public sector institutions can be defined as agencies, offices, and other units that represent the local, state and federal government in supporting the community in education, training and resources for issues that need improvement or prevention (Hansen & Paul, 2019). These institutions then provide information on the subjects that they are responsible for and create innovative solutions for the issues that arise. For example, suicide amongst adolescents being the blog topic would then utilize organizations such as National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) that considers suicide a public health crisis. NIMH offers education on mental health disorders, risk factors and symptoms of suicide as well as prevention essentials. They provide training to providers and others that work in the public. The greatest benefit that is provided is support and resources for all those in need regardless of their economic or health insurance status (NIMH, 2019).
Another public sector that I recently became aware of is the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). This organization came up in my research into locating an individual that has some involvement in policy not interview. The first step to researching individuals to interview was to look for an organization that I was interested in volunteering for and AFSP was the one that intrigued me the most. I reached out to the region director, Ms. Cori Frolander (2020) via telephone. She actually picked up on the first try. We discussed the organization and their stance in policies and the community on suicide prevention/awareness. We were set to do a full interview the following week but unfortunately, I have not been able to connect with Ms. Frolander again but this is what I have learned about the AFSP organization and its stance in policy advocacy thus far.
The AFSP was established in 1987, they have local chapters in all 50 states, headquarters in New York and a policy headquarter in Washington, DC. The AFSP raises awareness, funds scientific research and supplies resources for those affected by suicide (AFSP, 2019). They describe their mission as saving lives and bring hope to those disturbed by suicide. The following core strategies are their focus areas funding research, educating the public on mental health and suicide prevention, advocating for public policies on mental health and suicide prevention, and supporting those survivors of suicide loss and those affected by suicide (AFSP, 2019). All of which are crucial in help decrease suicide amongst adolescents. This organizations creates events to raise funds, advocate, educate and those affected by this public crisis.
AFSP has its own public policy office that helps volunteers of AFSP with the tools to advocate for suicide prevention at every level of government. AFSP beliefs that advocates like you and I are what it takes to create policies to save lives. With that being said the public sector institutions help influence individuals and policies by standing in the gap to educate, train, reach the community and those affected by suicide in collaborating to create the change that is needed to save lives and change policies to help decrease mental health stigmas.
dnp 711 spring 2020 syllabus-20200109
References
American Foundation of Suicide Prevention. (2019). Mission and core strategies. Retrieved from https://afsp.org/about-afsp/
Frolander, C. (2020). Telephone interview: American Foundation of Suicide Prevention history and advocacy stance.
Hansen, K, and Paul, N. (2019). Information strategies for communicators: Public sector institutions. Retrieved https://open.lib.umn.edu/infostrategies/chapter/6-2-public-sector-institutions/
National Institute of Mental Health. (2019). Mental health: Suicide. Retrieved from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/suicide.shtml
Suicide Prevention Lifeline. (2020). Youth: Resources. Retrieved from https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/help-yourself/youth/
YouTube. AFSP advocacy forum. 10th ed. Retrieved https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf1ngKOunlU#action=share
Suicide does not have an age limit 
Addressing suicide, in any form, is a difficult subject matter to tackle considering it is still a taboo topic to discuss. Organizations and policies that you have mentioned are great in breaking down that barrier to prevention.The AFSP’s belief that everyday citizens who advocate for better mental health and suicide prevention are the best ones to create policies is something that I agree with very much. Without the everyday citizen, those who have first hand experience, and those who are advocates who are experts on the subject, policies cannot fully address the needs of those contemplating suicide and are suffering from depression. We need the average person to make it known that this is an issue that needs to be addressed and organizations such as AFSP can help bridge the gap into making it known that it is an important issue and help guide the process of addressing this issue.
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The America Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is a good resource not only to advocate for suicide prevention but as well as provide tools for members seeking counseling that have suffered a loss by suicide in their family. Resources are available and designed to provide aid for survivors of suicide loss by a loved one (AFSP, 2019). Increased risk of suicide is linked to many mental health disorders, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism and substance abuse, and certain personality disorders. Due to the genetic component of mental health disorders, risks associated with suicide are inherited to raise an individual’s risk. Utilizing the resources for survivor loss can also serve as an identifier and prevention for another family member’s behaviors or individual struggle. The Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) provides a toolkit, “Engaging People with Lived Experience” to assist in suicide prevention by testimonies from individuals who have lived through the experience as either the one contemplating suicide or being a family member from loss. This tool provides an honest and personal look into suicide in hopes to bring needed attention to the topic and development of preventive measures.
Reference
American Foundation of Suicide Prevention. (2019). Mission and core strategies. Retrieved from https://afsp.org/about-afsp/
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