About the Alliance
What is the Oregon Alliance to Prevent Suicide?
The purpose of the Oregon Alliance to Prevent Suicide is to reduce youth suicides in the state of Oregon. Alliance members are appointed by the Oregon Health Authority to develop a public policy agenda for suicide intervention and prevention across agencies, systems and communities.
In 2014, the Oregon State Legislature mandated development of a 5-year plan to address Oregon’s high rate of suicide among individuals age 10 through 24-years-old. The Oregon Youth Suicide Intervention and Prevention Plan was signed by the Oregon Health Authority and submitted to the Legislature in January 2016. The Alliance is charged with overseeing implementation of the plan and evaluating outcomes related to suicide prevention in Oregon.
Embedded throughout the plan is a belief that it is crucial to support Oregon’s youth and families by:
- Promoting a sense of hope and highlighting resilience.
- Make it safe to ask for help and ensuring the right help is available at the right time.
- Engaging individuals and communities in the healing process after an attempt or suicide.
Alliance Structure
Alliance members are appointed by the Oregon Health Authority and represent a broad range of subject matter experts including youth, suicide attempt survivors and loss survivors. The full Alliance meets quarterly and is staffed by the Association of Oregon Community Mental Health Programs. The Alliance has six standing committees and advisory groups.
MISSION
The Alliance advocates and works to inform and strengthen Oregon’s suicide prevention, intervention and postvention policies, services and supports to prevent youth and young adults from dying by suicide.
VISION
In Oregon all young people have hope, feel safe asking for help, can find access to the right help at the right time to prevent suicide, and live in communities that foster healing, connection, and wellness.
EQUITY STATEMENT
To achieve our vision, we acknowledge the impact of white supremacy, institutionalized racism, and all forms of oppression. The Alliance endeavors to make Oregon a place where suicide reduction and prevention is achieved for people of all ages, races, ethnicities, abilities, gender identities, sexual orientations, socioeconomic status, nationalities and geographic locations.