Measure Status: Active
Evidence Level: Emerging. Aligns with MCHbest strategy "Trauma Training" (https://www.mchevidence.org/tools/strategies/9-4.php). Find other NPM 9 universal-level strategies in MCHbest.
Measurement Quadrant: Quadrant 1: Measuring quantity of effort (counts and "yes/no" activities)
Service Type: Public health services and systems level of pyramid
Essential Public Health Services: 8. Build and support a workforce
Service Recipient: Activities directed to professionals
Goal: By September 2025, collaborate with the Idaho Suicide Prevention Program to enhance suicide prevention activities for adolescents.
Numerator: Number of adult advisors that received training
Denominator: N/A
Significance: Suicide is a major public health issue that causes tremendous pain in individuals, families, and communities; it is an issue that warrants urgent intervention as national suicide rates have steadily increased by 1-2% every year since 1999 (CDC, 2020). In 2018, suicide was the nation’s 10th leading cause of death for all ages, and second for those aged 10-34 (CDC, 2020). In 2018, Idaho’s suicide rate of 21.8/100,000 was 1.5% higher than the national average and placed Idaho 5th in the nation in suicide rates (IDHW, 2020). Additionally, there was an increase of 7.4% between 2009-2019 in the number of adolescents in Idaho who seriously considered a suicide attempt (YRBS, 2019). Suicide is a particular concern in rural states such as Idaho, where suicide rates are historically much higher than in metropolitan areas (CDC, 2020; ISU & IDHW, 2019).
Sources of Strength is an evidence-based suicide prevention program implemented in 36 states, with an additional seven states currently working to establish the program (Sources of Strength, n.d.). In the past five years, 81 schools in Idaho have enacted Sources of Strength (IDE, 2019). The implementation of this program in schools allows student leaders to become agents of change who enact suicide prevention strategies in their school (ISU & IDHW, 2019; IDHW, 2020). Trained adult advisors meet regularly with student leaders to share and strengthen healthy coping mechanisms that the students can spread among their school peers. The students prepare a variety of communications including one-on-one conversations, peer presentations, and prevention messages aimed at fostering hope, help and spreading knowledge of protective “sources of strength” (ISU & IDHW, 2019; IDHW, 2020). This program enables students to identify and strengthen their coping tools and support network.
Data Sources and Data Issues: CDC, YRBS, IDHW, Sources of Strength
Year: 2020
Unit Type: Simple Count, Unit Number: 100