As the pandemic continues to challenge our health and well-being, it is even more important that we spend time this month addressing suicide prevention. Each September we formally recognize the importance of mental health and suicide prevention by observing National Suicide Prevention Month. Many of us have been personally touched by the loss of a friend or family member by suicide, and we know it is important to learn how to talk about it, identify risks, and to learn how to educate and help others. We appreciate the increasing number of workplaces recognizing and advocating for mental health and well-being support and initiatives.
The Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences and the Oregon Healthy Workforce Center are actively involved with Oregon’s Construction Industry Suicide Prevention Partnership, local Employee Assistance Program (EAP) groups, and other partnerships working together to create mechanisms to improve the safety, health and well-being of workers and community members.
If you are in the Portland area, as a beacon for Suicide Prevention, look for purple and teal in Portland city lights: The Morrison Bridge will light up for National Suicide Prevention Week (September 5-11) and the iconic Oregon Convention Center spires will light up on World Suicide Prevention Day (Friday, September 10th), thanks to Lines For Life.
Check out and share the many resources listed below to better understand mental health and wellness, and suicide prevention:
Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Resources
- QPR (Question/Persuade/Refer) Training sponsored by Construction Suicide Prevention Partnership and promoted by the Columbia-Willamette Chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals, September 17, 2021 (1-3 pm Pacific Time).
- OccHealthSci Podcast: Suicide Prevention in Construction
- List of Trainings (many are FREE) from the Suicide Prevention Lifeline
- Pandemic Response Training for Managers and Supervisors (10-min)
- Psychological First Aid : Part 1 (24 min)
- Psychological First Aid : Part 2 (28 min)
- Mental Health Awareness Training (MHAT)
- Veteran Supportive Supervisor Training: Promoting strategies to support Veteran workers (1-hour)
- Materials about Suicide Prevention from the Suicide Prevention Lifeline
- Posters, Infographics and Mental Health Statistics from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
- Finding well-being in writing
