Contact Person(s):

Trina Evans Williams

State Adolescent Health Coordinator in Louisiana

Louisiana Adolescent Health Initiative.

Chairperson of the Louisiana Youth Suicide Prevention Task Force

Louisiana Office of Public Health

Louisiana Adolescent Health Initiative

325 Loyola Avenue

Room 610

New Orleans, LA 70112

504-568-6636

504-568-3786 fax

TEVANS@dhh.state.la.us

Summary of what Louisiana is doing:

The Louisiana Youth Suicide Prevention Plan is entitled the S.T.A.R. ( S-Suicide Prevention for Louisiana Youth- T-Training of Gatekeepers, A-Awareness and Advocacy, and R-Resources, Recommendations and Resolutions Plan. The following is information about the Louisiana Youth Suicide Prevention Plan, the Louisiana Youth Suicide Prevention Task Force and Legislative highlights.

The Office of Public Health -LA Adolescent Health Initiative (AHI) of the Family Planning Program is a statewide program that has been established to improve the health status of adolescents in Louisiana by creating a coordinated comprehensive, adolescent health planning and delivery system.  The goal of the AHI is for every adolescent in the state of Louisiana to have the opportunity to grow and prosper in a healthy, nurturing, and safe environment.  AHI has developed various task forces’ whose aim is to better meet the needs of today’s youth.  One task force in particular is the LA Youth Suicide Prevention Task Force.  The LA Youth Suicide Prevention Task Force is a statewide response to the Surgeon General’s call to action to prevent suicide.  The mission of the task force is to develop a statewide plan on youth suicide prevention in Louisiana.  In addition the task force’s mission is to make a difference in the lives of Louisiana’s youth and families, to provide appropriate and timely help, to improve access and availability of prevention services and to prevent youth suicide and suicidal behaviors statewide.

The Task Force is composed of several interested and active partners who are committed to improving the health of Louisiana’s youth and who are committed to carrying out the initiatives of the LA Youth Suicide Prevention Task Force.  This Task Force knows that a successful course of action will come only by way of collaborative efforts and effective partnerships.  Therefore, this task force consists of the following committed partners:  LA Adolescent Health Initiative (Chair), Adolescent School Health Initiative, Attorney General’s Office, Baton Rouge Crisis Center, Children’s Bureau, Department of Education, Family Planning Program, FBI, Injury Prevention, Jewish Family Service, Maternal & Child Health, Office of Mental Health, and Volunteer Information Agency.

The Task Force is developing programs such as the S.T.A.R. Plan. We have also implemented House Bill 792 that establishes a program of suicide prevention in Louisiana public schools and Senate Concurrent Resolution 55 that proclaim September16-22 to be Yellow Ribbon –Youth Suicide Prevention and Awareness Week.  The purpose of this task force is to reduce the suicide statistics that exist in Louisiana today.  For instance, suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death of adolescents nationally and in Louisiana and 60% of high school students have suicidal ideation.

The LA Youth Suicide Prevention Task Force along with the AHI are projects that require the community’s involvement.  It is important to remember that this Initiative is not about starting a new project or designing a new program.  This is an attempt to coordinate resources and activities that are already in place to better serve the state’s adolescents.  It is a step for the community to begin to decide what is needed to keep their youth healthy and safe.  The LA Youth Suicide Prevention Task Force, therefore, is assisting in this effort, but not dictating its path.  For more information about the LA Youth Suicide Prevention Task Force and the S.T.A.R Plan, please contact Trina Evans  Williams, the Louisiana State Adolescent Health Coordinator at 504-668-6636.