MN National Guard Suicide Awareness Video

Transcription

1 Facilitator s Guide Due to the sensitive training topic, MNNG Suicide Intervention Officers (SIO) or Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Trainers (ASIST T4T) are the only authorized personnel to facilitate this training. Leaders please ensure ALL SIOs / ASIST trained personnel are utilized and are provided adequate time to prepare to guarantee the most affective delivery of this curriculum. A Psychological Health Coordinator (PHC) should be requested to attend training whenever possible. Preferred training method is in small groups, about 20 people, facilitated by SIOs, ASIST T4T, or PHC in the unit to allow for two-way communication and open discussion. Preferred training environment will have a set of speakers that is louder than individuals moving around and can be heard in the back of the audience. A Projector/Screen is the appropriate equipment to display for a Platoon or Company. ***Subpar A/V equipment will be detrimental to the learning objective and impact on Audience*** Requirements. All MNNG units will show the I m Only Human Video and complete the training no later than third quarter FY16. This is designed to be a 30 minute training, however discussions may require additional time. Leaders will consult with identified facilitator(s) to determine the appropriate amount of time to allocate to the training. Facilitators. Review video, review facilitator s guide, develop additional talking points as appropriate and walk through your training plan IOT be able to connect talking points directly to the video. Please do not conduct training unprepared, as it will minimize the importance of the topic, degrade training value and potentially add to the stigmas that surround suicide. Further questions should be directed to the Suicide Prevention Program Manager, SFC Jen Chaffee at jeanette.m.chaffee.mil@mail.mil or (651)

2 1) Commander s Introduction to I m Only Human Video: a. The MNNG has experienced 40 suicides over the last 8 years, with 24 of them having no deployment history. As of Sept. 1, 2015, the MNNG has experienced three deaths by suicide. b. As Soldiers we live by the Soldier s Creed, Warrior Ethos, and Army Values, which means we depend on each other on and off duty. It is important that when faced with a unit member or anyone we care about who is experiencing thoughts of suicide, that we acknowledge it and know our role in connecting them to professional help. c. The video you are about to watch contains real-life situations. These are things that you, your peers, or your family may have or could experience in your life. This video may trigger memories or emotions that may or may not be related to the military. If at any time throughout the video or training you feel you need to step out, that is ok. All we ask is that you let a SIO, PHC or other facilitator know you are ok. d. After we are done viewing the video, the Suicide Intervention Officer(s) (or facilitator) will break us into smaller groups and lead us in a discussion. 2) Show Video 3) Suicide Intervention Officer/Facilitator Lead Discussion(s) and Activity: (Based on I m Only Human video and ACE curriculum) a. Let s talk about the video we just watched. What thoughts and feelings did you have? What story line is sticking with you? b. The song you heard while watching the video was I m Only Human by Christina Perri. 1. What lyrics did you hear in the song that caught your attention? (Ex: I m only human and I crash and I break down and I can fake a smile, I can force a laugh, I can dance and play the part, if that s what you ask ). 2. The financial, relationship, and mental health issues in the video are issues that could affect any of us. As Soldiers, we have more than the 2

3 average person on our plate (work, drill, school, Annual Training (XCTC, NTC), family, potential deployments). How does that contribute to our level of stress? 3. The bottom line is we re only human. Everyone experiences adversity and change in their life and some of it is out of our control. However, we can control how we respond to that adversity or change. Having protective factors and coping skills in your life will help you to respond to adversity and change in healthier manner. c. Some of us may have had thoughts of suicide ourselves or know someone that has. Thinking of ending your own life can be scary and it can be even scarier to hear someone you care about say or express those thoughts. Fortunately, there are resources that can help you and others that are struggling with thoughts of suicide. 1. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline TALK (8255) is a confidential hotline you can call and speak to a counselor 24/7. Not only can you call yourself, but, you can call to discuss how to talk to someone you re concerned about. Pressing 1 when you call TALK will connect you to the Veterans Crisis Line and give you the opportunity to speak with a counselor from the VA. 2. Veteran Crisis Line Texting. Text to chat with a counselor 24/7. d. What are risk factors? When do risk factors become warning signs, potentially leading to suicide? Answers: 1. Risk factors are characteristics or conditions that increase the chance that a person may try to take their life. Risk factors become warning signs when they outweigh our protective factors. 2. Warning signs are behaviors that a person exhibits. These may be new behaviors or a change in current behaviors. e. What risk factors were presented in the video? What are some other risk factors that a person may have? Example Answers: 1. Alcohol abuse 2. Reduction in performance 3. Financial issues 4. Increased anger 5. Relationship issues 3

4 6. Prior suicide attempt 7. Close association to another individual who recently died by suicide 8. Family history of suicide 9. Failed relationship 10. Mood disorders 11. Recent loss of a loved one 12. Bullying 13. Harassment f. Facilitator Comment: What may be a risk factor for one person may not be for another g. Understanding your role as a friend, requires you to know how to detect warning signs. What are some warning signs observed in the video? Others? *It is important that the facilitator connect the warning signs to specific examples in the video* Common warning signs from the American Association of Suicidology: 1. I Ideation (Verbalizing they want to kill themselves, they have no reason to live, they are a burden on others) 2. S Substance Abuse (Increase in alcohol or drug use) 3. P Purposelessness 4. A Anxiety 5. T Trapped 6. H Hopelessness 7. W Withdrawal 8. A Anger 9. R Reckless 10. M Mood Change h. Protective factors, on the other hand enhance resilience and serve to counterbalance risk factors making them less likely to engage in suicidal behavior. Risk and protective factors may be biopsychosocial, environmental, or sociocultural in nature. What are some protective factors you have in your life? *It is important that the facilitator connect the protective factors to specific examples in the video* 4

5 Example Answers: 1. Effective clinical care for mental, physical, or substance abuse disorders 2. Restricted access to highly lethal means of suicide 3. Strong connections to family, friends, military, or community 4. Community support 5. Skills in problem solving, conflict resolution, or nonviolent handling of disputes 6. Cultural beliefs i. Show Video AGAIN: Facilitators encourage audience to identify warning signs, risk factors and warning signs as the video is played again. Once complete transition back to small group activity. j. Asking about Suicide 1. How do you ask someone if they are thinking of suicide? Answer: Directly- Ask, Are you thinking about suicide? 2. What are examples of inappropriate ways to ask about suicide? Answer: Indirectly or inappropriate- Are you thinking about hurting yourself? You aren t thinking about killing yourself, are you? Are you thinking about doing something stupid? 3. ACTIVITY: Facilitator(s) will act as one of the individuals from the video that is thinking about suicide. Soldiers will take turns asking about suicide directly to practice and understand how it feels to say Are you thinking about suicide? or Are you thinking about killing yourself? i. Was it hard to ask the questions directly? ii. Facilitator Comment: Asking someone directly can help a person At Risk to hear what they are actually thinking about. k. What are the barriers preventing people from talking about suicide in the MNNG? How do we get rid of it? What can our unit do? Comments: (Facilitator notes): 5

6 l. Final Thoughts / SIO Evaluation: Facilitator will request final thoughts on the training curriculum, format of training, and anything else Soldiers want to discuss. Facilitators will complete evaluation and efax back to the Suicide Prevent Program Manager, SFC Jen Chaffee at jeanette.m.chaffee.mil@mail.mil NLT the end of the training period. 4) 1SG (or facilitator in small groups) Large Group Closing comments to I m Only Human Video Training: a. The Minnesota National Guard is committed to preventing suicides in our organization. People are our most precious resource and one loss to suicide is one too many. We need, we want each and every one of you in this room. Each of you has a responsibility to take care of yourself and know how to take care of your battle buddy. Therefore you need resources, what are some resources you saw in the video? Answers: 1. Online- National Suicide Prevention Website 2. Phone- the National Guard App Guard Ready 3. Gun Lock-Gun locks are available from R3SP 4. Person to person-talk to a person in your unit like your NCOIC, talk to your civilian boss, talk to a counselor, talk with your partner. 5. Text- Veteran Crisis Line b. What other resources can you use? Example Answers: 1. Psychological Health Coordinator i. 1BCT: Ms. Katy Strub ii. 84TRC, 34DIV, & 34CAB: Ms. Darlene Wetterstrom iii. 347RSG & JFHQ: Dr. Brittany Miskowiec Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor Unit Chaplain 4. Suicide Intervention Officer c. Top 5 Reasons not to immediately bring a Soldier with Suicidal Ideations to the Emergency Room. (If immediate harm to self and/or others will occur, dial 911). 1. At Risk individuals thinking about suicide, on average, only tell their story 1 Time. 6

7 2. If the At Risk individual decided to tell you, it is because they trust you. (Sending them to the ER could be perceived as you not being supportive or don t care; ultimately adding to the Stigma of asking for help is OK! How do you think the At Risk person will feel now?) 3. The priority in the ER isn t necessarily someone thinking about suicide. The At Risk person could sit there for hours, questioning why they tried to tell their story. 4. Once the At Risk person is seen in the ER, most medical providers have not received formal suicide intervention training. (Now the At Risk Soldier is being supported by someone who hasn t even sat through THIS training we are conducting). 5. Once the At Risk person leaves the ER, a bill could follow. Adding a financial burden and possibly more stress to an already stressful situation. d. Thank you for your attention today. As you have found out, many individuals in this room have been affected by suicide. As Soldiers we must uphold the Army value of Personal Courage; Our ability to face fear, danger, or adversity, both physical and moral courage. We do this by asking the hard question Are you thinking about Suicide? We also uphold the Soldier Creed, specifically I will never leave a fallen comrade. You are the one person that could make a difference. It s up to all of us encourage each other to seek support. If you have concerns or questions because of this training, let someone you trust in your chain of command know, or reach out to our Psychological Health Coordinator. The Minnesota National Guard is committed to preventing suicides in our organization. People are our most precious resource and one loss to suicide is one too many. We need, we want each and every one of you in this room. 7

8 I m Only Human Video Training Evaluation On a scale of 1-5 (5 agree, 1 disagree), please rate the following questions: Question #1: The video along with the discussion provided me with the tools I need to assist someone that is at risk of suicide? Question #2: The lyrics in the song, I m only human, encourage me to ask for help when needed, because I m only human Question #3: I know what resource(s) I can connect to if I am in need of help or my battle buddy is in need of help? Additional comments or recommendations: *SIOs: efax evaluations to jeanette.m.chaffee.mil@mail.mil upon training completion. Evaluation should be completed by each participant. 8