Project Description:
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) issued a grant announcement to support suicide prevention and domestic violence response. The Oregon Health Authority(OHA) received this grant in partnership with the PSU Regional Research Institute for Human Services (RRI) and the Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (OCADSV). RRI conducted the evaluation for the grant and provided technical support for the production of the resulting practice guide listed above. Funding for the initiative and this evaluation was provided by SAMHSA grant #1H79FG000411-01) from July 2020 through November 2021.
The overall project goal was to support Oregon communities during the COVID-19 pandemic in advancing efforts to prevent suicide and suicide attempts among adults age 25 and older. Special focus was paid to the situations of increased stress, anxiety, depression and trauma caused by domestic violence (DV). Specific grant goals were to: (1) develop & implement a plan for rapid follow-up care and care transitions for adults who have attempted suicide or experienced a suicidal crisis, including protocols for ensuring patient safety, especially among high risk adults in health or behavioral healthcare settings and those with serious mental illness (SMI) and/or substance use disorder(s); (2) provide, or assure provision of, suicide prevention training to community and clinical service providers and systems serving adults at risk; (3) provide suicide screening and assessment and appropriate clinical treatment services required as a result of the assessment; and (4) provide enhanced services for victims of DV and their dependents including a safe place to stay in the event that individuals are unable to remain safely in the home setting. These efforts were in partnership with OHA, Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (OCADSV), Lines 4 Life (L4L), and county behavioral and mental health agencies and domestic violence agencies.
Statewide implementation:
- OHA COVID-19 Suicide Prevention (SP) workgroup, County COVID-19 Mental Health response workgroups, and the Injury & Violence Prevention Program of OHA collaborated to develop and distribute recommendations for County-specific SP activities, including telehealth-based follow-up care and care transitions for adults following a suicide attempt or suicidal crisis, provision of suicide screening and assessment, and appropriate clinical treatment services as a result of the assessment.
- County-specific COVID-19 suicide prevention plans was implemented through county COVID-19 Mental Health response workgroups in 100% of Oregon’s 36 counties by the end of the funding period.
Coordinated hotline response during COVID-19:
- L4L’s consultation and referral relationships with DV hotlines were expanded
- OCADSV trained crisis line staff to recognize and respond to callers experiencing DV
Enhanced rapid MH response, suicide prevention & domestic violence services through co-located providers:
- Additional FTE to MH providers in Oregon was provided by co-locating DV advocates in MH agencies, linking survivors with MH services for themselves and their dependents, and increasing the breadth of services available to survivors.
- Funds for housing services were available for each partner agency to provide a safe place for survivors to stay, when needed.