Community Prevention Strategy Work

Suicide prevention is everyone’s business. Lost&Found works diligently to support community and statewide coalitions that focus on preventing suicide while educating state and local government officials on effective prevention policy.

Working to Address Systems

The Lost&Found team works daily to support young adults and their support networks with effective training, education, and research support. We take pride in the work we do, and we also recognize we play a critical role in shaping the “big picture” of suicide prevention strategy in the communities we serve.Applying the public health and policy expertise of our staff, Lost&Found works with state and local leaders to identify, prioritize, and measure suicide prevention strategies for young adult populations (15-34) in the states where our programs are present. What is measured is learned and applied, as well as shared with community leaders and policymakers that ultimately shape suicide prevention efforts throughout the region and the country.

Lost&Found is proud to serve as a member of several state and community prevention workgroups, including:

Governor’s Suicide Prevention Workgroup (SD)
Lethal Means Safety Sub-Workgroup (SD)
Sioux Falls Area Suicide Prevention Task Force

As a 501(c)3 organization, Lost&Found is committed to providing evidence-based practices and guidance to any organization implementing suicide prevention strategies in the communities that we serve. It’s another way we give back to the community while informing the institutions that are also working to support young adults and their mental health.

SUICIDE PREVENTION ECOSYSTEM EFFORTS MUST INCLUDE:

Prevention: Addressing the risk/protective factors for suicide and relieving/elevating those factors.
Intervention: Prevents injury/death once risk factors have led to a point of crisis and need for immediate help.
Postvention: Supporting survivors (loss or attempt) and engaging in prevention-like activities.

For understanding suicide and suicide prevention

National Institute of Mental Health Fact Sheet »
The National Institute of Mental Health compiled a fact sheet that provides information on suicide, risks for suicide, warning signs, how to handle a crisis situation, how to receive help for mental health and suicide, as well as other frequently asked questions.

Suicide Prevention Hotline Tips »
The suicide prevention hotline provides information on how to prevent suicide and the risk factors and warning signs to watch for in loved ones.

For understanding suicide prevention efforts in South Dakota

South Dakota Suicide Prevention Website »
The South Dakota Suicide Prevention website has information on how to get help if you or a loved one are in a suicidal crisis, statistics about suicide in South Dakota, and educational resources being used in South Dakota schools.

For suicide prevention best practices

Suicide Prevention Training »
This article explores how to improve suicide prevention by training general practitioners on how to recognize depression and those who are at risk for suicide in order to provide better and earlier care to those individuals.

Surgeon General Address on Suicide Prevention »
This is the Surgeon General’s call to action on suicide prevention that explores a broad-based public health response to suicide, address upstream impacts, expand lethal means safety, use more evidence-based care, enhance crisis care and care transitions, and to improve the quality and utilization of suicide-related data.