What does a community approach to suicide prevention look like?

Mental Health America of Lancaster-Lebanon Counties offered a solution to that question at its annual Suicide Prevention Conference on Sept. 17 at the DoubleTree Resort in Willow Street.

The conference's theme this year was "Hope in Action," which organizers said reflects how meaningful change happens when the community moves beyond suicide awareness to take action by listening, learning and connecting to those who may be struggling.

The conference gave attendees the opportunity to learn from local and regional experts. On the day, there were four breakout sessions and a panel discussion preceded by a keynote speech from Jay Breneman, director of firearm suicide prevention policy at CeaseFirePA.

Breneman, of Erie, is a U.S. Army combat veteran. His work revolves around the gun violence crisis; firearm suicide is responsible for over half of gun deaths in the commonwealth.

Breneman offered a four-pronged solution to the issue. His first point was for organizations to build feedback into the programs they already hold.

"This doesn't have to cost a lot of money," Breneman said. "It doesn't mean putting another barcode in front of you. There are similar ways to learn."

Secondly, he emphasized the importance of "giving other people the words."

"Most people in this room know how we should talk, mainly about people," he said. "Our opportunity is helping everyone else fulfill this. When we train people or give them resources, we can't stop at half a conversation or ask a question. We have to give them the language they can actually use, model, let them hear what a direct, holistic conversation sounds like."

The third point is to make the rest of suicide prevention visible. He said that organizations have done a good job at telling people what to do in case of an emergency, but prevention is just as important as the response.

"People need to understand what prevention looks like before someone is in crisis," he said. "Understand those protective factors as well as what their role can be while someone is getting help, and what support looks like afterwards."

Lastly, Breneman highlighted the need to help people tell the stories that make the issues. He referenced an example where data can only go so far.

"We have to help them tell the story of where did they find it, was it safe for them to tell their story, what worked," he said. "We need to build on that; that is what we need to focus on."

In the four breakout sessions, conference attendees heard from a litany of speakers, addressing topics like emotional literacy, spiritual support groups, warning signs and trust and how they relate to suicide prevention.

Mental Health America of Lancaster-Lebanon Counties offers free support and advocacy to residents in both counties. The organization's programming includes educational classes, support groups and financial assistance.

For more information, visit https://mhalancaster.org/ or call 717-397-7461. The organization's office is located at 245 Butler Ave. (Suite 204), Lancaster. Its office hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.