SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is now accepting applications for a $312,000 suicide prevention grant. The federally-funded grant will fund a single organization to improve the ability of staffers in education, child welfare, and juvenile justice to identify, assess, and help young people who may be at risk for suicide.
“Many young people across Illinois are facing unprecedented challenges affecting their mental health and wellness,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. “Our current mental health crisis makes it critical for professionals to receive necessary training to spot warning signs and reduce the risk of suicide. We urge eligible organizations across Illinois to submit applications to provide this important suicide prevention training.”
An organization will be awarded the grant to develop and implement several training programs, including: Assessing and Measuring Suicide Risk for clinical staff in child welfare and juvenile justice systems; Mental Health First Aid for staffers at institutions of higher learning; and Gatekeeper training to help security staff at juvenile justice facilities determine when to seek mental health interventions for young people in their care.
The training is part of the ongoing effort to meet the goals of the Illinois Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan 2020, a multi-pronged approach to reducing suicide across the state. The grant is intended to increase the number of organizations able to identify and assist youth who are at risk of suicide; increase the capacity of clinical service providers to assess, manage, and treat at-risk youth; and improve continuity of care and follow-up for such youth, including those who have been discharged from emergency departments or inpatient psychiatric units.
Applications will be accepted through 5:00pm on February 2, 2024, with the announcement of the grant award expected in March. Prospective applicants can get more information and apply online at CSFA (illinois.gov).