Suicide Prevention Specialist I

Job Purpose

The Suicide Prevention Specialist (SPS) will engage with community stakeholders, including persons with lived experience, gun-owners, gun retailers, private businesses, local government, faith-based organizations, regarding capacity building; communication and messaging; and outreach, education, and training to increase awareness and expertise related to evidence-informed gun-suicide prevention practices.  The SPS will ensure the strategies and approaches utilized are tailored to the social, economic, cultural, and environmental context of individuals and communities.

Qualifications              

• Associate’s degree in counseling, Psychology, Social Work, or related field OR
• High School diploma or equivalent AND at least two years of experience in psychiatric, substance use treatment, peer support, or developmental disabilities
• Must have competency-based training on suicide prevention, interventions, and postvention as well as experience and knowledge associated with the gun-owning community

Core Job Duties

• Assists with developing and maintaining a coalition of community partners who share the same vision. The coalition would include traditional community partners as well as involving faith-based organizations and local businesses.
• Performs an annual comprehensive environmental scan.  
• Ensures suicide prevention efforts align with community perspectives, culture, readiness, strengths, and needs.
• Identifies gaps in resources and services and promotes capacity building to address these issues.
• Provides outreach to workplaces to promote the objectives of the program.
• Assists workplaces in finding ways to identify suicidal behavior, strengthen social support, promote the development of coping skills, and change policies and norms to encourage help-seeking behaviors.
• Provides education and/or training for workplaces based on their needs/interests.  Develop relationships with key community organizations so that those natural gatekeepers can identify people at risk for suicide and route them directly into services. Examples of training include: Question Persuade, Refer, Conversations for Suicide Safer Homes, Vital Cog, Counseling on Access to Lethal Means; suicide risk factors, protective factors, concepts and facts; training on lethal means reduction, etc.
• Develops linkages with clinical systems, health care providers, and programs in the community to ensure seamless and continuous care for individuals.
• Communicates effectively with internal and external audiences. Provides evidence-informed communication, including safe messaging guidelines.
• When appropriate and in alignment with organizational guidelines, share personal lived experience with suicidal ideation and/or attempt to foster connection, reduce stigma, and support others in their recovery journey.
• Adherence to all applicable evidence-based practice models. 
• Orally communicate information effectively and accurately. 
• Assure program operates within the constraints of the agency’s certification (CARF, DMH) standards and strategic plan related to clinical care.                               
• Abide by program and agency policies and procedures.
• Other job duties and special projects as assigned.