Our Mission 

   Zero Suicide Partners of Pinellas (ZSPoP) was established in 2017 by the Pinellas County Behavioral Health System of Care as a collective impact project. ZSPoP brings together over 35 different organizations, agencies, and groups with the common mission to end suicide in Pinellas County. In 2017, ZSPoP began implementing the transformational Zero Suicide framework to increase assessment, direct treatment, and comprehensive support throughout Pinellas County, for individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts and/or behaviors. The national framework uses the aspirational term Zero Suicide to emphasize that even one life lost to suicide is too many.

Through leading and coordinating systems change at behavioral health clinics, emergency departments, and community care centers, ZSPoP has conducted screenings and assessments (i.e., PHQ-9, C-SSRS) for suicidal thoughts and behaviors since 2017. ZSPoP has developed policies and procedures for an integrated Suicide Prevention Care Pathway. This includes universal or broadened screening practices, safety planning, direct treatment of suicidality, care coordination (e.g., caring contacts), as well as continuous quality improvement. Regular meetings, metric reporting and trend analysis, and ongoing training have helped to keep partners informed, engaged, and coordinated.

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   Today, our goals continue to be transforming our systems of care to include common universal screenings, implementing and strengthening the Suicide Prevention Care Pathway across providers, promoting organic growth, and data-driven continuous quality improvement.

Our suicide prevention efforts have also expanded from the clinic to the community. We know that some of the individuals at highest risk for experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviors are those that are not already connected to care. No one is immune to a moment of crisis, regardless of their mental health. This is why we believe; safety is for everyone. The Growing Hope Initiative extends the mission of ZSPoP into the community through outreach, events, and engagement. Growing Hope has three workgroups which broadly focus on different vulnerable populations within our community: the Veterans Workgroup, the Youth Workgroup, and the LGBTQ+ Workgroup. We also have partners and community members that share messaging, events, and resources with ZSPoP and across Pinellas County, which support First Responders and their families, as well as older adults. To learn more about ZSPoP’s Growing Hope Workgroups or to attend one of our meetings, click here. To see our upcoming events, please check out our Event Calendar, below.

         

   ZSPoP invites you to join us in our mission! It takes all of us, doing what we can, to end suicide in Pinellas County. To learn more about how to join us, become a partner, join a workgroup, and lend your voice in helping create a community without suicide.

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  We encourage everyone to Be Kind, Be Curious, and Be Connected. To learn more about how being kind, curious, and connected can help save a life, see our Action Message.