December 15, 2009
Coalition of community members and organizations seek ‘SAIPH' path to suicide prevention
YK Delta Area Suicide Awareness, Intervention, Prevention, and Healing (SAIPH) Coalition
Since eight local delegates returned from a National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA) summit in Temecula, California, and formed the SAIPH coalition (pronounced "safe") in 2007, SAIPH has taken major steps to help communities, organizations, and individuals in the YK Delta area address issues related to suicide.
We are now a small group of volunteer community members with specific goals that we feel will make the biggest impact in our region.
The SAIPH coalition's current goals are:
- 1. Develop a culturally-relevant and community-based suicide intervention, prevention, and healing initiative.
- 2. Inventory existing practices and services in the area.
- 3. Draft individual, family, and community-centered practices and protocols.
- 4. Develop a broad awareness and stigma-reduction program.
- 5. Develop partnerships and collaborations with other programs with similar goals from around the YK Delta.
Some current projects that SAIPH is working on are:
- Radio shows on KYUK that promote safe and healthy lifestyles.
- A SAIPH logo contest to promote awareness of the coalition and suicide-related issues.
- Using social media to educate and increase awareness.
- Training trainers for Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)
- Working with communities that have suicide prevention and other similar programs.
We need more SAIPH members!
If you are interested in working to help communities prevent suicide and address suicide-related issues, you can contact us by emailing us at ykdelta.saiph@gmail.com or you can call 534-6093 or 1-800-478-3321 and ask for extension 6093. Also, please contact us if you want to find out more information about SAIPH, or if you want to find out ways to help your community reduce the numbers of suicides, reduce stigma associated with suicide, and promote healing after suicides.
