March 2025 Call to Action

The monthly newsletter of the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network (TSPN)

March Issue

Executive Director's call to action
Proceedings of TSPN's winter Advisory Council meeting
Updates on TSPN's Day on the Hill
Achievements and regional updates

and more!

Photo of Anna Sever, TSPN Executive Director

Call to Action

TSPN is hosting a weeklong training event for people who want to become trainers in the Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) platform, providing over 40 hours of continuing education. The training will run Monday-Friday, April 7-11, held at the TAADAS/TSPN Conference Room at 1321 Murfreesboro Pike, Suite 155, in Nashville.

ASIST’s Training for Trainers (T4T) Program will empower you with the skills and knowledge to teach others how to recognize the signs of suicide and intervene when it matters most. You’ll guide participants as they learn how to recognize when someone may be thinking about suicide, provide an advanced intervention, and develop a safety plan to connect the person with support.

When you become a certified ASIST trainer, you’ll become a recognized leader in suicide prevention, capable of co-leading two-day ASIST workshops for schools, places of worship, local nonprofits, clinicians, corporations, community organizations, and the general public.

Anyone 18 years or older is eligible for this T4T
No prior experience is required
A non-refundable payment of $4,760 is required upfront*, payable by credit card or check.
Payment secures your spot in the workshop, within available seats are available.
Trainees must attend every full training day to receive their trainer certification.

This is a rare opportunity to receive this training in Tennessee without traveling to larger cities where ASIST T4Ts are typically offered.

Spaces for this event are limited, so register now!

Equip yourself with the life-saving skills to make a lasting difference for yourself, for your community, and for your region of Tennessee.

For more information and to register, visit https://tinyurl.com/TSPN-ASIST-T4T-2025

With gratitude,

Anna C. Sever

Winter Advisory Council Meeting

Photo from Advisory Council meeting in progress

The TSPN Advisory Council held its winter meeting on February 10 at the TSPN central office in Nashville. Roughly 60 Advisory Council members, staff, and guests heard statewide and local updates from staff and reviewed progress on current projects.

The Advocacy Committee reviewed a newly proposed bill that would prohibit medical personnel from inquiring about a patient’s access to firearms.

The Outreach Committee discussed ongoing plans to promote TSPN and suicide prevention.

The Strategies, Outcomes, and Evaluation Committee continued writing and editing of the Tennessee Strategy for Suicide Prevention.

The official TSPN history for 2024 is on the TSPN website.

Your input is needed:

TSPN’s 25th anniversary is next year; Advisory Council members should email Anna with any ideas for possible observances and activities.

The central office is taking suggestions for helping the Northeast Region assist parts of its service area still struggling with disaster recovery, both in terms of supplies and mental health. Advisory Council members were asked to consider the long-term mental health needs of first responders and community volunteers, and how to reach extremely rural communities often overlooked by mental health and disaster relief efforts.

TSPN staff photo taken following Advisory Council meeting

TSPN staff gathered for an impromptu staff photo immediately following the meeting. Pictured from left to right, front row: Northeast Regional Director Cori Johnson, Greater Nashville Regional Director Hannah Quinn, South Central Regional Director Mary Anne Christian, Northwest Regional Director Emily Jernigan, and Southwest Regional Director Emily Lunn.

In back, from left: Upper Cumberland Regional Director Mike Anderson, Executive Assistant Christina Allen, Youth Programs Director Kearee Jackson, Executive Director Anna Sever, Southeast Regional Director Bryan Barks, Mid-Cumberland Regional Director Darrell Bouldin, East Regional Director Taylor Murmann, and Communications Assistant Vladimir Enlow.

Sources of Strength: updates, expansions underway

Sources of Strength (SOS) is a research-informed, upstream prevention program focused on promoting resiliency.

Four TSPN staff have been certified as trainers in the platform. TSPN has trained eleven schools or youth-serving agencies for the program but needs fifteen to fulfill its state contract by August, 31st, 2025.

TSPN is able to offer over a $6,000 value per eligible organization to provide SOS training.

Anyone interested in SOS within Tennessee may contact Kearee Jackson, TSPN’s Youth Programs Director and Sources of Strength's liaison for the state of Tennessee. Mr. Jackson may be reached directly at kjackson@tspn.org or 615-780-5901, extension 128, for guidance in bringing Sources of Strength to the young people you serve.

TSPN/TAADAS Day on the Hill

TSPN joined the Tennessee Association of Alcohol, Drug, and other Addiction Services for its annual Day on the Hill at the Cordell Hull State Office Building in Nashville on March 12. TSPN staff greeted members of the Tennessee General Assembly during the legislative breakfast held that morning, then met with legislators to discuss pending bills potentially affecting mental health and suicide prevention.

At left, Greater Memphis Regional Director Justin Johnson (right) meets with state Senator Paul Rose (representing Senate District 32, which covers portions of Lauderdale, Shelby, and Tipton Counties). At right, Justin poses for a photo with TSPN Executive Director Anna Sever (left) and Mid-Cumberland Regional Director Darrell Bouldin (center).

State suicide alert system highlighted as national model

Tennessee's health monitoring tracking system and its partnership with TSPN were the subject of a national case study by the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC). The case study, "Harnessing Near Real-Time Data for Effective Suicide Prevention Efforts", is available for review at https://sprc.org/wp-content/uploads/Harnessing-Near-Real-Time-Data-Handout-Example.pdf.

In Tennessee, 100% of emergency departments report health data, including suicide-related data, to the Electronic Surveillance System for the Early Notification of Community-based Epidemics (ESSENCE). The TSPN ESSENCE Director sends alerts to communities where local emergency departments have reported spikes in suicide-related behavior. Alerts include information on suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and self-harm for each county, organized by age brackets. The alerts include links to webpages with state and local resources alongside contact information for TSPN's regional suicide prevention directors. Meanwhile, TSPN helps communities develop rapid response plans.

"Through Tennessee’s robust ESSENCE and listserv notification system, communities across the state are better prepared to respond to increases in suicide-related behaviors," the case study reads.

Anyone can sign up for ESSENCE Alerts via the TSPN website (https://www.tspn.org/essence-sign-up-forms) and select the county or counties for which they would like to receive reports.

TSPN is grateful for all staff and volunteers who have helped promote the program, and it extends a special thanks to TSPN ESSENCE Director Shauna Greer for her diligence in managing and transmitting the alerts.

Johnson named Team Lead

TSPN is pleased to announce the selection of Cori Johnson, TSPN’s Northeast Regional Director, as its East Regional Team Lead.

Cori will serve as the lead for Regional Directors in East Tennessee, joining Greater Memphis Regional Director Justin Johnson in West Tennessee and South Central Regional Director Mary Anne Christian in Middle Tennessee as Team Leads in the other regions of the state.

Team Leads develop local goals and volunteer management strategies, providing progress reports to the Executive Director. They provide strategic planning on new and existing TSPN initiatives. They help facilitate onboarding and orientations for new staff within their region and collect equipment following staff transitions. The Executive Director may call upon Team Leads to facilitate meetings, training sessions, and other events.

During her tenure with TSPN, Cori has achieved trainer certification in several suicide prevention training platforms, including Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) and the adult and youth versions of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA). She is also a facilitator for the Sources of Strength (SOS) youth violence prevention program, and she has personally recruited three schools in her region to participate in SOS. Additionally, Cori has provided technical assistance to schools and other organizations in her region regarding their suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention plans.

East Region

Jessica Stanley, Regional Overdose Prevention Specialist (ROPS) at Metro Drug Coalition (pictured front right), presented information about the ROPS program at TSPN's East Regional Meeting on February 20. She paused for a photo with Outreach and Support Manager Scott Payne (chair of our regional Advisory Council, at left) and East Tennessee Regional Director Taylor Murmann.

Additionally, Taylor Murmann managed a table on TSPN’s behalf at one of four “Day of Hope” events hosted by Metro Drug Coalition across Knoxville on March 10.

Greater Memphis Region

The Greater Memphis Region hosted an Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) session on February 27-28 at Hope Church in Cordova (site of its monthly meetings). Justin Johnson, Greater Memphis Regional Director and co-facilitator of this session, is in the right foreground. Regional Chair Dr. Audrey Elion is at the center in the purple jacket.

Find out how your agency can host its own two-day skills-building workshop, where your staff or community members can learn how to recognize warning signs, prevent someone in crisis from harming themselves, and work with them to create a safety plan. Visit our website for more information.

South Central Region

South Central Regional Director Mary Anne Christian led a QPR session on February 28 at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital for 35 youth and adults. The training was hosted by the Goldfinch Foundation as part of their dedication to improving mental wellness, ensuring their son Owen's legacy sparks meaningful change in the world.

Greater Nashville Region

Greater Nashville Regional Director Hannah Quinn (in background) and regional volunteer Rhonda Alley operated an exhibit at the Teen Wellness Fest held on March 15 at Patterson Park Community Center in Murfreesboro.

Visitors to our table had a chance to spin our Sources of Strength wheel, play a game of cups, and learn more about mental wellness.

TSPN thanks the Prevention Coalition for Success for hosting this event, as well as our partners at the Rutherford County Suicide Prevention Coalition for their ongoing dedication to suicide prevention.

Mid-Cumberland Region

Zoe Little, Miss Athens of the South's Teen 2025, was among the guests at a community Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) session hosted by TSPN’s Elevated Risk Task Force at the TSPN offices on March 22. She will compete for the title of Miss Tennessee's Teen at Belmont University in June for a chance to compete at Miss America's Teen in September. Here, she poses for a photo with Mid-Cumberland Regional Director Darrell Bouldin.

Northeast Region

TSPN's Northeast Region hosted a series of community Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) sessions at Johnson County High School on February 27, with about 70 school staff and community members participating.

At right, Advisory Council member Brandy Rice facilitates the training.

Northeast regional staff and volunteers who facilitated the training are (pictured from left) Regional Advisory Council Chair Heatherly Sifford, Anna Carpenter, Ashley Sidebottom, regional Advisory Council member Brandy Rice, and Northeast Regional Director Cori Johnson.

Northwest Region

TSPN's Northwest Region held two Blessing of the Tractors events: one at Dyer County Fairgrounds on February 17 (see photos above and at right) and another at Gibson County High School on February 20 (see photos below). TSPN thanks the local health councils and Future Farmers of America chapters who helped plan and participate in each gathering.

A parade of tractors led each event, followed by a mental health resource fair, and presentations from TSPN representatives and local speakers on agriculture mental health/suicide prevention. Local pastors offered blessings for farmers and their families as well as their equipment, season, and land. Guests received farming-specific suicide prevention resources to keep in the cab of their tractors for easy availability and utilization in a time of crisis.

Another event is planned for Henry County High School next month, rescheduled following last month's winter storm. Stay tuned for details!

Southwest Region

Volunteers hosted a “Signs of Hope” event on North Highland Avenue in Jackson for Tennessee’s Day of Hope on March 10. The statewide observance proclaimed by Gov. Bill Lee communicates hope for people struggling with mental illness and substance use while raising awareness of intervention resources.

Photo courtesy of WBBJ-TV, a past winner of TSPN’s Media Award.

Promotional flyer for American Association of Suicidology conference

The American Association of Suicidology will hold its 58th Annual Conference in Columbus, Ohio, on March 30-April 4.

Learn more and register

TSPN's Greater Memphis Region is offering a safeTALK session on April 24 from 12-5 PM Central at the Collierville VFW, located at 347 South Center Street.

safeTALK is a half-day training program that teaches participants to recognize and engage persons who might be having thoughts of suicide and to connect them with community resources trained in suicide prevention. safeTALK stresses safety while challenging taboos that inhibit open talk about suicide.

Participants cannot be younger than 15 and must attend the full training. Registration fees are non-refundable.

Rx and Illicit Drug Summit

Join TAADAS and TSPN on April 21-24 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center for insights, strategies, and connections that can transform the future of the opioid and addiction crisis.

Use the code TAADAS to save $100!

Don’t miss out—register today:

https://www.hmpglobalevents.com/rx-summit/rates

TAADAS is presenting two editions of its insurance parity webinar during the month of April.

Federal laws require most health plans to cover mental health and substance abuse treatment at the same levels as they would for medical care. Join this free webinar to learn more about your rights related to mental health and substance abuse coverage, the laws that protect you, and how to appeal a health plan decision or a complaint against an insurance company.

Upcoming webinars:

April 16, 1:00 PM-2:30 PM Central

April 24, 1:00 PM-2:30 PM Central