Contact Person(s):

George Hanigan
Deputy Director of Behavioral Health
Nebraska Health and Human Services System
P.O. Box 94728
Lincoln, NE 68509-4728
(402) 479-5117
(402) 479-5162 FAX
George.Hanigan@hhss.state.ne.us

Summary of what Nebraska is doing:

Nebraska participated in the August 1999 Regional Conference in Kansas City, MO and formed the state's first action groups in suicide prevention planning. Nebraska organized its suicide prevention activities around the surgeon general"s recommendations for action in three arenas: Awareness, Intervention, & Methodology. Representatives from across the state have begun planning in all three areas.

Planning for suicide prevention in a state with geographic challenges has been done primarily through conference calling. Face to face meetings throughout the state will be needed to bring true diversity and local involvement in a state plan. There are few resources available to facilitate the planning process, which is one of the biggest challenges Nebraska faces in moving suicide prevention planning forward.

A two-day intervention conference for professionals took place on May 11 & 12, 2000 in Lincoln, Nebraska as part of the search for a standard language and intervention model for the state. The conference served as a target date for the release of integrated suicide data and a plan for accountability and credibility of suicide data collection statewide. Initial data collection/consolidation efforts have already begun among two of the Native American tribes. Data has also been collected regarding suicide rates in farming families. Awareness activities have begun, most notably in the Omaha school district, as Nebraska works to equip communities to prevent suicide.

Links to applicable web pages:

www.hhs.state.ne.us\svc