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About The Coalition

Who is the MCSP?

The Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention is a broad based inclusive alliance of suicide prevention advocates, including public and private agency representatives, policy makers, suicide survivors, mental health and public health consumers and providers and concerned citizens committed to working together to reduce the incidence of self-harm and suicide in the Commonwealth.

See our membership list

MCSP Mission
 The Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention mission is to support and develop effective suicide prevention initiatives by providing leadership and advocacy, promoting collaborations among organizations, developing and recommending policy and promoting research and development.

History
The Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention was convened in 1999. From its inception, the Coalition has been a public private partnership, involving government agencies including the Department of Public Health and Department of Mental Health working in partnership with community based agencies and interested individuals. In the spring of 2003, the Suicide Prevention Working Group moved to a coalition model

MCSP Accomplishments

  • Organized and hosted seven (7) annual State House events to recognize suicide prevention efforts in the Commonwealth.
  • Collaborated with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health to plan and facilitate six (6) annual statewide suicide prevention conferences in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007. 525 participants took park in the 2005 conference in Worcester and 525 in 2006 conference in Sturbridge. In 2007, 800 participants attended the Sturbridge conference.
  • The legislature authorized $500,000 for statewide suicide prevention initiatives in the DPH budget in FY02. Despite several years of budget cutbacks, funding has continued each year, with $1,250,000 allocated in FY07.
  • Suicide prevention awareness, education and training have been a priority since the inception of the MCSP. Department of Public Health funding has permitted clinical training and gatekeeper training for nearly 4,000 advocates, teachers, college professionals and students, clinicians, substance abuse staff, elder service advocates and youth serving organizations.
  • 2000 — Participated in the “Northeast Injury Prevention Network Invitational Suicide Prevention Planning Conference,” a 3-day strategic planning conference in Byfield, MA for state teams from Public Health Regions I and II.
  • Facilitated and testified at theUS Surgeon General's public hearing on the National Suicide Prevention Strategy.
  • WGBH-TV aired segment on the MCSP's efforts and suicide prevention.
  • Coalition began developing the “Massachusetts Strategic Plan for Suicide Prevention.”
  • 2001 — Drafted budget item 4513-1026, submitted by Senator Susan Tucker and Representative Peter Koutoujian. (Vetoed by the Governor)
  • The Boston Globe published articles highlighting the scope of suicide in Massachusetts and the Department of Public Health's “Suicide and Self-Inflicted Injuries in Massachusetts”.
  • 2002 — MCSP organized five regional forums to promote the draft of the “Massachusetts Strategic Plan for Suicide Prevention” and receive feedback and recommendations.
  • DPH funds five community suicide prevention coalitions across the state.
  • Commissioners of Public Health and Mental Health write to all media outlets encouraging them to adopt the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) “Guidelines for the Reporting of Suicide” aimed at reducing suicide contagion.
  • 2004 — Coalition chose Goals 3, 4 and 7 from state plan to implement for FY05. Goal Committees 3, 4 and 7 receive funding from MDPH to support suicide prevention activities.
  • 2004-Fifteen members of the MCSP attend a 3-day Regional Suicide Prevention Conference for state teams from across New England to help states move forward with planning and implementation of their respective strategic plans. Sponsored by the national Suicide Prevention Resource Center. The Massachusetts State Team agrees to formalize the MCSP and begins to draft a constitution and guidelines.
Our Plan

Overall Goals

  1. Improve and expand the Massachusetts suicide surveillance system.
  2. Promote awareness that suicide is a preventable public health problem.
  3. Develop broad-based support for suicide prevention.
  4. Develop and implement strategies to reduce the stigma associated with suicide.
  5. Develop and implement community-based suicide prevention services.
  6. Reduce access to lethal means and methods of self-harm.
  7. Implement professional training programs in recognizing and treating suicidal behavior for those who are in regular contact with persons at risk.
  8. Develop and promote effective clinical practices to reduce suicide morbidity and mortality.
  9. Improve access to and community linkages with mental health and substance abuse services.
  10. Improve reporting and portrayals of suicidal behavior, mental illness, and substance abuse in the entertainment and news media.
  11. Promote and support research and evaluation of suicide and suicide prevention programs.
(c) Copyright 2005 by the Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention