Project Hope
The Preventing Suicide in Colorado Initiative
Did you know more people die from suicide than automobile accidents in Colorado? According to the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Colorado, 55 Coloradans die from suicide every month.
Nationwide, a suicide occurs every 17 minutes according to the American Association of Suicidology.
In southeast Colorado, there is hope…Project HOPE. Project HOPE is a three-year suicide prevention initiative sponsored by the Colorado Trust, in cooperation with Southeast Mental Health Services. It is our hope that every resident of southeast Colorado will have the education, tools, and resources to openly seek treatment to better their mental health.
Free Trainings Available:
QPR trainings are available free-of-charge to any and all interested community members and groups. QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) covers the warning signs of suicidal behavior and offers simple techniques to assist the person in need. Southeast Mental Health Services will come to your school, organization or agency for a presentation. If interested, contact Lisa Chavez at (lchavez@semhs.org), 719-384-5446 or 800-511-5446.
Be Aware of the Warning Signs:
- Giving away favorite possessions
- Noticeable change in behavior
- Previous suicide attempts and
- Statements revealing a desire to die
- Inappropriate good-byes
- Withdrawal from friends or family
- Verbal behavior that is ambiguous or indirect:
“I’m going away on a real long trip.”
“You won’t have to worry about me anymore.”
“I want to sleep and never wake up.”
- Purchase of a gun or pills
- Sudden happiness after long depression
- Obsession about death and talk about suicide
- Decline in performance of work, school or other activities
- Deteriorating physical appearance or reckless actions
What You Can Do To Help:
- Take threats seriously
- Listen without judging
- Allow the person to express feelings
- Remove potential weapons, drugs or alcohol
- Find out if the person has a plan
- Take action- get immediate professional help
What Not To Do:
- Don’t leave the person alone if you feel he or she is at risk
- Don’t treat the threat lightly, even if the person starts to laugh or joke
about the situation
- Don’t act shocked
- Don’t tell the person how great his or her life is, or how much better off they
are than other people
- Don’t swear to secrecy for fear of being disloyal
- Don’t judge, argue or place blame
- Don’t try to counsel the person yourself– professional help is available 24/7
Don't hesitate. Call us at 1-800-511-5446
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