History
The New Mexico Suicide Prevention Coalition (NMSPC) is the product of over a decade of work by many dedicated people around the state of New Mexico. It began in 1997 with a two day conference in Santa Fe, a large gathering of statewide representatives who wrote the state’s first youth suicide plan, Hope for the Heart. While that project lay mostly dormant because no funding accompanied it, the first step in the process to address New Mexico’s suicide epidemic had been completed.
In the spring of 2003, the American Association of Suicidology (AAS) held its annual conference in Santa Fe. Concurrently, the New Mexico Department of Health Injury Prevention Bureau held a state planning conference. The group attending the planning conference, mostly representing Northern New Mexico, created a wish list for preventing suicide in the state. The group involved included survivors, community members, Department of Health employees, agency workers, school staff, and therapists. Others were invited to join the effort, and the group continued to meet. This was the year in which current data (2001) indicated New Mexico as the state with the highest suicide rate in the nation.
In the fall of 2003, the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) held a bi-regional conference in New Orleans that included New Mexico. A cadre of people were selected as New Mexico state representatives and worked with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) on developing a vision for suicide prevention in New Mexico. A formal coalition began to crystallize at this event, and in 2004, Michelle Linn-Gust (New Mexico Suicide Survivors) and JoAnn Sartorius (then with the New Mexico Suicide Intervention Project) took the roles of Co-Chairs. The Coalition, continually increasing its numbers, met quarterly and developed a mission statement and goals.
In the fall of 2004, Governor Bill Richardson caught wind of the youth suicide problem in New Mexico and set up a Youth Suicide Task Force that included representatives from the NMSPC. To fund selected Task Force recommendations, the Governor placed $600,000 in his budget for the 2005-06 fiscal year.
Also in fall of 2004, Christopher Schueler of Christopher Productions, was developing a documentary on youth suicide in New Mexico called “Coming Back.” This documentary aired in December 2004 following a media blitz that helped highlight the problem as the state readied for the legislative session.
Non-profit status for the Coalition was achieved in 2005 with help from Cynthia Gonzales of the New Mexico Suicide Intervention Project. A current board of nine members now guides the Coalition. In addition, Gwendolyn Packard, Executive Director, through grant funds and memberships, works to increase membership; build regional Coalition partners; keeps members informed through phone, e-mail and website (www.newmexicosuicideprevention.org); collaborates with other key organizations, and coordinates and helps to carry out the work of the organization.
During the 2005 New Mexico state legislative session, NMSPC hosted its first Suicide Prevention Day at the legislature and gathered its strength throughout the 90-day session to assure that the funding passed. The Coalition and its supporters were instrumental to the bill’s passage as there were hundreds of calls, emails and visits to legislators, and hours of testimonies in Committees. When the dust settled, $520,000 was earmarked for youth suicide prevention. That funding created the first statewide, toll-free, 24-hour crisis line through the Agora Crisis Center, screening around the state, many suicide prevention trainings for community members and professionals, regional coalition building projects in conjunction with the NMSPC, and a myriad of smaller projects.
The Coalition again hosted a Suicide Prevention Day at the 2006 state legislative session, and worked to assure that youth suicide funding stayed in the budget. This time, $500,000 passed for youth as well as $50,000 for adult suicide prevention. While youth suicide takes a heavy toll in our state, the actual number of suicides is higher in the adult male population. The Coalition recognizes the need for suicide prevention for all age levels and for support for all those who survive a suicide and are left behind to deal with the aftermath of these tragedies.
In 2005, the Coalition endorsed the state’s bid for one of the Federal Garrett Lee Smith grants. New Mexico was awarded one of the first fourteen state grants and will receive $400,000 each year over the next three years. The Office of School Health, through the Department of Health, oversees the grant.
The New Mexico Suicide Prevention Coalition meets quarterly and is actively seeking members and board members statewide to strengthen its voice and power in New Mexico. Currently, nearly 2,000 people are on the Coalition’s e-mail list which keeps them apprised of events and issues relating to suicide. NMSPC’s ongoing work will require more peoplepower and more funding in order to achieve our aim of decline in the number of suicides. The Coalition has some challenging work ahead, but with a growing membership and continued passionate motivation, lives can be saved. We hope that you will join us on this journey.
