HANLEY FOUNDATION’S ZERO SUICIDE INITIATIVE PLANS
FOR NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH
WEST PALM BEACH FL, September 12, 2022– Suicide is the second leading cause of death among people 15-24. Suicide rates have steadily increased for people ages 15-34 since 2015. Hanley Foundation’s Zero Suicide Initiative has a variety of programs to reduce the number of suicides in Florida. The Initiative trains college students, college professors and other members of the community to recognize the signs of someone contemplating suicide. Thus far, the Hanley Foundation has trained almost 60 resident advisors at Palm Beach Atlantic University and 20 faculty members at The Academy for Nursing, as college campuses are often where students meet someone who may be experiencing a mental health crisis.
During National Suicide Prevention Month, which is in September, the Hanley Foundation’s Zero Suicide Initiative has placed billboards across Palm Beach County and has wrapped 10 Palm Tran bus stop shelters with information on how to get help during a mental health crisis. They have also produced a video with people who have attempted suicide and survived who tell their story of hope.
“We’re changing systems that are in place to ensure that fewer people die by suicide. We’re training organizations on how to watch for the warning signs that an employee or client is in a mental health crisis. We also are working to ensure that agencies assess people properly for suicide risk and provide appropriate, patient-centered care,” said Alli Jimenez, who is leading the Hanley Foundation’s Zero Suicide Initiative.
Hanley Foundation also plans to launch a support group for people who have attempted suicide and for people who have lost someone to suicide. For help, people can email [email protected].
About Hanley Foundation
Hanley Foundation envisions a world free of addiction, leading the way as the largest provider of grant-funded prevention education programs in the State of Florida. Hanley Foundation’s mission is to eliminate addiction through prevention, advocacy, treatment, and recovery support. In addition to offering recovery scholarships to those in need and facilitating trainings to identify the signs of substance misuse, the Foundation works to reduce stigma and inform policy through its advocacy efforts. Hanley Foundation educates, changes minds, and saves lives with its evidence-based programs proven through research to prevent and delay the use of alcohol and other drugs. For more information about Hanley Foundation, please visit hanleyfoundation.org or call 561-268-2355. Follow on Instagram and Facebook @HanleyFoundation, and on Twitter and LinkedIn @HanleyFDN.