AdventHealth was proud to be featured with the University of Central Florida in the Orlando Sentinel regarding an innovative suicide prevention program we are piloting together at AdventHealth Kissimmee.
The effort, launched in February at AdventHealth Kissimmee, targets adults who come to the emergency department for any reason and might not typically disclose suicidal thoughts or ask for help. The program is expected to expand to AdventHealth Orlando within the next year and perhaps later to other facilities in the health system.
The effort is part of a $1.45-million, three-year pilot program funded by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to study whether the intervention can reduce suicide and emergency-room recidivism in patients 25 and older. SAMHSA, which has previously funded studies for younger adults and teens, has embraced the Zero Suicide Initiative, a movement urging health-care providers to focus on prevention.
Behavioral health is one of our region’s - and nation’s - top health concerns, but Florida typically ranks at the very bottom of per-person funding for mental health programs. Pilots like this one help to address these needs, and AdventHealth is committed to being a leader in this space.
If you haven’t had a chance to read this story, please check it out by clicking here.
