Integrated Services of Kalamazoo (ISK) will use a $75,000 suicide prevention grant to better support the LGBTQ population as well as youth and young adults at risk of suicide in Kalamazoo County. The funding comes from a collaborative initiative to provide suicide prevention support for Michigan organizations working with health-disparate populations.
FUNDERS: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan joined forces with the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation, the Michigan Health Endowment Fund, the Children’s Foundation, and the Ethel and James Flinn Foundation to establish the Suicide Prevention Support for Health Care Clinics Working with Michigan’s Health-Disparate Populations initiative. This program offers grants to develop evidence-based and sustainable programming that will decrease the rate of suicide attempts and deaths by identifying children or adults who may be at risk; as well as addressing their needs for appropriate medical, social and behavioral services.
WHY: Over 7,000 Michiganders died due to suicide from 2014 to 2018. Evidence-based preventative programs are needed to stop individuals from committing suicide and those who have suicidal ideations. Programs that focus on populations experiencing health disparities due to income, age, gender identity and ethnic and racial characteristics were encouraged to apply for grant funding.
PHOTO: ISK staff hold the grant check from a statewide suicide prevention initiative that will be used to better support the LGBTQ population as well as youth and young adults at risk of suicide in Kalamazoo County. From left: Andrew Lowden, ISK Community Health Worker; Danielle Sackrider, ISK Programs Supervisor; Jeff Patton, CEO of ISK; Dianne Shaffer, ISK Director of Systems Development; Carlos Brown, ISK Project Director, Kalamazoo Suicide Prevention Program.
