Two girls packed their bags and traveled across America in a mini-van with their mothers to interview hundreds of females about the “mean girl” phenomenon.

The Speedy Foundation is reaching out to implore you to #advocate. We reach out while sitting in yet another Senate Health and Welfare hearing regarding the partial repeal of Medicaid expansion, which ignores the will of the voters and will create an expensive secondary coverage gap.

Shannon Decker is the Executive Director of the Speedy Foundation and the Idaho Suicide Prevention Coalition. The Speedy Foundation was started in 2011 in memory of Shannon’s cousin, Olympic Freestyle skier and three time Olympian, Jeret Peterson. Jeret died a year after the Vancouver Olympics in which he had taken home a silver medal for USA.

AAS is happy to announce the release of Social Media & Suicide Tipsheet. Please share with parents & adults who are concerned by all the recent news about Instagram, Facebook, & YouTube. 

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#AAS365

As many of you know, Idaho is 4th in the nation for suicides per capita, and our legislative district is first in the state. Idaho has been spending more than a million dollars a year working at this problem.

Hannah Lucas was inspired to create an app-based “panic button” in the moment she needed one the most: after a suicide attempt during a difficult battle with depression in her freshman year of high school in Atlanta. Within a year, she and her brother Charlie had created the app notOK, which allows users to instantly alert five trusted contacts at the onset of a mental health crisis.

BOISE — A full dozen Idaho House members spoke out in favor of covering first responders’ post-traumatic stress under workers’ compensation on Thursday, as the House passed the bill 59-10 and sent it to the governor’s desk.

By Claudia Boyd-Barrett , California Health Report

Noting rising suicide rates and mental health problems among the state’s youth, a bill in the California Senate would require all new teachers to have mental health first-aid training.

State Senators Richard Pan (D-Sacramento) and Anthony Portantino (D-Pasadena) introduced the bill earlier this month with the support of county health officials, mental health program providers and child health advocates. Senate bill 428 would require all new teachers, as well as those renewing their teaching credentials, to complete a course on youth mental health first-aid.

If approved, the requirement would go into effect in January 2020.

Legislative budget writers on Wednesday approved a $200,000 increase in funding for state suicide prevention efforts next year, rather than the $1 million boost the state Department of Health & Welfare requested and Gov. Brad Little recommended.

Suicide prevention agencies, advocates, and families of Idahoans who have died by suicide came together at the Capitol Tuesday to see Governor Brad Little proclaim February 26 as "Suicide Prevention Day" in Idaho.

BOISE, Idaho, Feb. 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States and the eighth leading cause of death in Idaho.  On Tuesday, February 26, advocates from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Idaho Chapter, Idaho Suicide Prevention Coalition, Idaho Suicide Prevention Hotline, NAMI Idaho, and Speedy Foundation will come together to host the fourth annual Suicide Prevention Day at the Capitol.  Host organizations and advocates from across the state will meet with lawmakers, urging them to prioritize suicide prevention and mental health initiatives for Idaho residents.  The event will culminate with a presentation in the Governor's chamber at 2:30 p.m. where Governor Little will proclaim February 26, 2019 Suicide Prevention Day across Idaho.

Advocates will be asking lawmakers to support increased funding for the Idaho Suicide Prevention Program and implementation of the Idaho Suicide Prevention System Action Plan, to fund the following priorities as outlined in Governor Little's budget allocation request: (1) Upgrades to the Idaho Suicide Prevention Hotline; (2) A robust training network and "train-the-trainer" model for schools; (3) A statewide gap analysis and resource mapping; and (4) Zero Suicide pilot programs in northern and eastern Idaho.  Advocates will also be asking lawmakers to support SB 1028 providing that post-traumatic stress injury suffered by a first responder is a compensable injury when the injury was caused by an event arising out of the first responder's employment.

"Each and every one of us plays a role in preventing suicide. Having open and honest conversations about suicide and prevention assists Idahoans in creating responsible public policies, and we must all work together toward reaching our state's goal: to reduce suicide in Idaho 20% by the year 2025. It is great work to save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide," said Carmen Barney, AFSP Idaho Chapter Public Policy Chair.

The Idaho Suicide Prevention Day at the Capitol is a special day for all who have a connection with or a personal story around the topic of suicide. Volunteers will meet with their state legislators and share their stories about why they participate in this advocacy effort, giving a human face to this important health problem. Advocates hope that by sharing their stories, they will help legislators understand that state investments in mental health and suicide prevention can save lives.  

Advocates with AFSP-Idaho are part of a larger national movement of AFSP volunteer advocates who will be visiting over 40 state capitols across the United States in 2019 to bring best practices in suicide prevention to state legislators and their staff. To learn more about AFSP's advocacy efforts, visit here: https://afsp.org/our-work/advocacy/.

On average, one hundred twenty-nine (129) Americans died by suicide each day in 2017, and 90% of those individuals had a diagnosable mental health condition at the time of their death. AFSP volunteers will urge state lawmakers to be the voice for the thousands of Idaho residents affected by suicide each year.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide. AFSP creates a culture that's smart about mental health through education and community programs, develops suicide prevention through research and advocacy, and provides support for those affected by suicide. Led by CEO Robert Gebbia and headquartered in New York, with a Public Policy Office in Washington, D.C. AFSP has local chapters in all 50 states with programs and events nationwide. Learn more about AFSP in its latest Annual Report, and join the conversation on suicide prevention by following AFSP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

SOURCE American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

Colleges are struggling to keep up with an increase in requests for mental health counseling. Many have hired additional staff members and are experimenting with new approaches to treatment.

In case you missed it, Arlee's Warrior Movement — the suicide prevention message from the Warriors and Scarlets basketball teams — was aired on NBA TV on Sunday.

If you and a friend get in an accident and your friend breaks their leg, you know to call 911 for help. But when people struggle with mental illness, outward signs of distress aren’t always recognizable, and many people don’t know how to help their friends and family members who are struggling with their mental health. But fortunately, you can learn how to help by getting mental health first aid certified.

Athlete Brain Health - Beyond Concussion , Utah Olympic Park on Feb. 10, 2019

Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher, The Speedy Foundation, 2 Time Gold Medalist David Wise

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The #Morning Mix returns this week after its 2-week Sundance hiatus with musical guest Shannon Runyon performing live in the Swede Alley studio, plus guest interviews with Shannon Decker, Co-Founder and Executive Director of The Speedy Foundation, and with Aaron Benward, Creator and Producer of ‘Nashville Unplugged, The Story Behind The Song’, a listening room experience happening at The Rockwell Room on Valentines Day. These guests and a rundown of events happening in our area on The Morning Mix.

The Boise Police Department is proud to release the 2018 Report to Our Citizens. This report includes data from fiscal year 2018 and stories about some of our major initiatives and projects in 2018. You can download a copy by clicking on the photo below or pick up a copy at our police department 333 N. Mark Stall Place.

I’m going to rein it in here, but we had the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare give budget presentations this past week in JFAC. We are talking serious money here…about $4 billion. What has happened to us? This is money taken from hardworking Americans to help those less fortunate. I know we have a huge population increase since the good ol’ days, but my gosh this is a gigantic price tag.

The Department of Health and Welfare’s request for another $1 million in suicide prevention funding prompted some skepticism from one north central Idaho lawmaker Monday. Sen. Carl Crabtree, R-Grangeville, said he fully understands the significance of Idaho’s suicide problem and supports efforts to tackle the issue. Nevertheless, he wants the department to demonstrate it has an effective plan in place before the Legislature appropriates more money.