Building community connections for suicide prevention: The teal and purple picnic

This presentation will highlight Stilwell, Oklahoma’s Second Annual Teal and Purple Picnic, organized by Lakin Girdner as part of her work on the Cherokee Nation suicide prevention intervention and postvention (SPIP) grant. Designed as more than just a community gathering, the event served as an information fair to address the wide range of challenges that can contribute to suicidal thoughts or crises. Resources included, but were not limited to, veteran services, childcare information, free blood pressure screenings, equine therapy, substance abuse programs, domestic violence support, and services from the health department. Through the involvement of local organizations, the picnic helped residents access resources they’d normally have to travel to Tahlequah for and introduced them to support services already available in Stilwell that they may not have known were available.

Objectives:

1. Learn how to structure and organize an inclusive community event to address risk factors linked to suicide.
2. Identify effective strategies for bringing together diverse vendors, organizations, and services to meet the needs of a rural community.
3. Recognize the importance of local accessibility to mental health and wellness resources in suicide prevention.

Credits: There will be no Continuing Education Credit for this webinar.