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Policy&Practice
December 2015
22
“T
he Suicide Task Force will
cast a wide net for member-
ship and must include professionals in
private and public practice of mental
health, clergy, educators, survivors,
the Coroner’s office, funeral directors,
medical professionals and emergency
responders.”
With these words, Commissioner
Diane Ellis-Marseglia, the Board
of Bucks County Pennsylvania
Commissioners, including
Commissioner Chairman Rob
Loughery and Commissioner Charley
Martin, unanimously approved
the formal commencement of the
Bucks County Suicide Task Force in
September 2013, and set a tone of part-
nership and shared governance for a
major county initiative.
The Bucks County Suicide Task Force
is unique in that way. Although the
project was sponsored by county gov-
ernment, leadership of the task force is
a shared public–private partnership at
the “Chair” level and through multiple
committees focused on community
participation.
The task force’s overarching goals
are: reducing stigma, increasing the
number of individuals seeking support,
supporting individuals who have lost
loved ones to suicide, and decreasing
suicides in the county. These goals
guide how the work happens through
community involvement in subcom-
mittees focused on:
Adult Suicide Prevention:
working
to provide face-to-face education in
the community regarding suicide
prevention.
Youth Suicide Prevention:
collabo-
rating with school communities to
reduce the incidence of youth suicide.
locally
speaking
Families:
providing support for
survivors of suicide and help raise
awareness by taking an active role
in suicide prevention and advocacy
for legislation that supports the
improvement of the mental health
system and treatment options.
Faith-Based Communities:
con-
necting faith communities with
education and prevention resources
focused on mental health to reduce
the incidence of suicide.
Professionals and Volunteers:
supporting medical, mental health,
and addiction professionals and
volunteers engaged in direct public
contact by assuring that these indi-
viduals have the necessary skills and
knowledge in the areas of suicide
assessment, intervention, and “post-
vention” care.
Older Adults:
seeks to provide edu-
cation and resources to providers
and agencies who work with older
adults that may experience thoughts
of suicide.
First Responders:
helping first
responders cope with the effects of
suicide response, providing educa-
tion about things they can do or say
when working with survivors, and
providing them prevention support.
Transition Age Youth:
focusing on
identifying the best ways to prevent
By Jon Rubin
Partnerships in Action
The Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Suicide Prevention Task Force
Photograph via Shuttersrock
See Bucks County on page 27