September is National Suicide Prevention Month

By Kim Torguson of the Action Alliance

The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention (Action Alliance) – the nation’s public-private partnership championing suicide prevention as a national priority – and its partners, like the Van Buren County SAFE Coalition in Iowa, are coming together to inform the public about simple actions that can support someone in crisis and potentially help save a life. This September, during National Suicide Prevention Month and National Suicide Prevention Week (September 11-16, 2017), the Action Alliance is asking organizations to step up to educate the public about the role anyone, anywhere can play in being there for someone who is struggling or in crisis.

Join the collective effort!

·       Sign up for the #NSPW Thunderclap campaign

·       Promote the hashtag #NSPW when posting social media messages about being there

·       Visit our website to access information about our partner’s campaigns focused on being there for others

·       Post our shareable social media icons on your social media channels

·       Change your profile frame by downloading and customizing our Facebook Frames

Additionally, in preparation for Suicide Prevention Month, the Action Alliance held a webinar,  Developing Successful and Positive Suicide Prevention Messaging -- Planning ahead for Suicide Prevention Month on July 10 that provided an overview of the four elements of the Action Alliance's Framework for Successful Messaging and offered tips and guidance for developing messages that are strategic, safe, and aligned with prevention goals.  

National Day of Prayer - Weekend of September 8, 2017
In collaboration with our #NSPW activities, the Action Alliance’s Faith Communities Task Force is promoting a National Day of Prayer for Faith Hope & Life the weekend of September 8-10, 2017. With September 10th being World Suicide Prevention Day, the Task Force is leading a national movement among faith communities that weekend to offer prayers and focus on tangible ways to be there for those in distress. In addition to visiting and promoting the National Day of Prayer webpage, other ways you and your partners can get involved include:

·       Pledge to participate on the weekend of 9/8, 

·       watch the video about the National Day of Prayer effort

·       view sample prayers from diverse faith traditions, and

·       promote the hashtags #PrayFHL and #NSPW

For more information on Suicide Prevention month please contact the SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412 or info@vbsafecoalition.com or checkout the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention website: http://actionallianceforsuicideprevention.org/national-strategy-suicide-prevention-0