HISTORY

As of 2022: Spreading goodness through Work and Life continue, because #LoveWins

2014: Transition to working privately in reducing suicide risk, grief support, support for trans and nonbinary youth and adults, and more, including The Intersection of Art And Mental Health with my Talk With ME podcast, and hosting events featuring poets and other artists.

2013: Late-March, I severely broke my right leg.  In April, thanks to my leadership, Headquarters, Inc. received Crisis Center Excellence Award from the American Association of Suicidology.  Late-November, I was fired. Late-December, I began hosting Talk With ME on internet radio based in Lawrence, Kansas.

August 2012: Became trainer of ASIST, Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training.  Returned from that training in NYC and received notice of award from SAMHSA to Headquarters, Inc.  I maintained many on-going responsibilities and also became part-time Program Director for three-year federal grant  of $480,000 per year to coordinate suicide prevention for young Kansans, 10- 24 years of age.  The grant had been submitted by an ad hoc committee of the Suicide Prevention Subcommittee of the Governor’s Mental Health Services Planning Council.  Grant-writers were Bill Art, Stan Edlavitch, Bill Geis and me.

November 2003: Re-started a suicide bereavement group after a few years without regular attendees or requests.  The group meets every other Tuesday evening, and sadly is very needed, and fortunately is very helpful.

April 2003: Mother’s death

2001: Led Headquarters, Inc. in becoming the center for Kansas for callers to national suicide prevention hotline network with credentialing by American Association of Suicidology.  Became provider of Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) and developed first Emergency Management Disaster Mental Health Team in Kansas.

1980’s through 2010’s: I participated in a broad range of community organizations and task forces, served as a volunteer for Douglas County Hospice and what was then called Douglas County Rape Victim Support Services.  I served on a not successful committee urging our City to adopt policies of non-discrimination against GLB (not yet T) people.  I was part of the group which founded the Douglas County AIDS Project in 1989.  And my involvement with suicide prevention at the local, state, and national levels grows and grows.

1985: With our school district’s Director of Nursing, Martha Skeet, and school social worker Bob Franz, I helped develop and present teen suicide prevention education programs in local junior highs. Began participating in the American Association of Suicidology

August 1982: Our small wedding

October 1979: Began service as Director of Headquarters, Inc., the free, 24 hour counseling center in Lawrence, Kansas

August 1975: As a young undergrad at Kansas University, I began service as volunteer counselor for Headquarters, Inc., the free, 24 hour counseling center in Lawrence, Kansas

The early years:  I was born in the Los Angeles area.  Too soon, our parents divorced and with our mother and stepfather, we lived in the Texas panhandle.  When our mother, my three brothers and I re-located to Kansas City, I learned to speak English, not just Southern.  I graduated from high school at 17 and thanks to my mother’s father, I was able to attend Kansas University.

THE LONGER VERSION

As of 2022: Still spreading goodness through Work and Life continue, because #LoveWins

September 2021: Paula Marchese, LCSW-R, based in NY, and I, based in the middle of USA, because Co-Chairs of the Clinician Survivor Task Force. CSTF provides support & resources to clinicians & other professional caregivers with the experience of suicide loss of patients/clients, family members,  loved ones, students &/or colleagues.  Membership is open to people across the globe, with most based in North America at this time.

Starting March 2020: The USA recognizes the COVID Pandemic in tandem with the Racism Pandemic: In-person activities are minimized and technology is used so much for work and more.

Autumn 2018: Founded Thriving Family-Friends support group for family-friends of people with suicide thoughts and attempts

2018: With Robin Goff, founder of The Light Center, and Rose Eiesland Foster, formed the Thriving Team, expanding supports for people affected by suicide in any of the ways.  In 2019, due to time constraints, Rose left that team; Donna Hanschu and Shannon Musgrave became key team members.

July 2017: Accepted position on Steering Committee of NAMI Douglas County, KS, a chapter of NAMI Kansas

October 2015: Founded Stayin’ Alive support group for survivors of suicide thoughts and attempts

July 2015: At Midwest Regional Suicide Prevention Conference: provided workshops on art and suicide attempt survivors, supporting survivors of suicide loss, and reducing suicide risk in transgender people; and became trainer of CALM Counseling on Access to Lethal Means

December 2014 – July 2015: Served as Training Team Member, Trans Lifeline, national hotline for transgender and gender nonconforming youth and adults

Autumn 2014 – April 2018: Planner and Judge for annual Paul G. Quinnett Lived Experience Writing Prize of the QPR Institute and American Association for Suicidology

Summer 2014: Began serving periodically as a Peer Reviewer for SAMHSA suicide prevention grants

May 2014: Began hosting poetry events including annual Words Save Lives on World Suicide Prevention Day, September 10

March 2014: Became trainer of QPR, suicide prevention education

January 2014: Began MarciaEpstein.biz, counseling, consultation, and training

October 2013 – present: Member, Kansas Mental Health Coalition

2013 – 2016: Suicidologist consultant and Associate Producer for  documentary film “The Listeners”

March 2012 – August 2014: Co-Chair Suicide Prevention Subcommittee, (Kansas) Governor’s Behavioral Health Services Planning Council

March 2010 – February 2012: Chair of Suicide Prevention Subcommittee, (Kansas) Governor’s Mental Health Services Planning Council

2000 – February 2017: Member and/or officer state Suicide Prevention Committee which became a subcommittee of the (Kansas) Governor’s Mental/ Behavioral Health Services Planning Council; which was eliminated in 2017.

10/1/79 – 11/20/13: Director, Headquarters, Inc., Lawrence, KS

August 2012 – 2015: Trainer of ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training)

8/1/12-11/20/13: Program Director / Principal Investigator, SAMHSA-funded Kansas Youth Suicide Prevention: Collaboration and Services Across Our State

2012: Only in Lawrence Recognition, The World Co.

2006 – 2007: Consultant on teen suicide and self harm for Department of Education SHIFTS grant for Topeka, KS USD 501

2006: Kansas – NASW Social Worker of the Year

Winter 2004-2005: Member of SAMHSA’s first Advisory Board for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

October 2003: Participated in regional SPRC conference in Colorado

2001 – November 2013: Douglas County Emergency Management roles including: leader of Disaster Mental Health Team, served on Public Information Officers, served on LEPC/Board

2001 – present: Provider of Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM)

1995 – present: Facilitator of survivors of suicide bereavement support group and annual retreats; provide bereavement support to individuals and families

1987 – present: Conference presentations include: “Teen Suicide Prevention Education” at 1987 Convening Conference, Chicago; “Support of Ritual Abuse Survivors” at 1993 AAS Conference, San Francisco and 1995 Conference of Society for Intervention, Treatment, and Prevention of Cult and Ritual Abuse, Dallas; “Suicidality: A Continuum of Crisis” at 2002 Association of Community Mental Health Centers In Kansas annual conference; Crisis Center Evaluation” – with Brian Mishara at 2004 AAS Conference, Miami; provided “Suicide Prevention 101” presentations for annual conferences of state-wide professional organizations including juvenile corrections, emergency medical, and school nurses

1985 – present: Serve as local and regional consultant, presenter, and trainer on crisis intervention, suicide prevention and suicide bereavement. University audiences include students and staff of University of Kansas, Haskell Indian Nations University, Baker University, and Washburn University. State audiences include Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) researchers, and Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence. Public school staff audiences include Lawrence, KS USD 497 and Topeka, KS USD 501. Local agency audiences have includes staff of Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, advocates for the Willow Domestic Violence Center, and therapists at K.U. Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS).

1985 – 2011: Developed and provided teen suicide prevention education to Douglas County junior high health classes

 Other Experience and Professional Memberships
~ American Association of Suicidology, member including annual conference participation since 1985
~ Participated in Kansas team at first Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) Regional Conference in Denver in October 2003
~ Douglas County, Kansas Emergency Management Board, through 2013
~ Douglas County, Kansas Emergency Management Disaster Mental Health Team: Leader 2001 – 2006
~ Douglas County KAHBH (Kansas All Hazards Behavioral Health Team), since 2006
~ International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, since 2001
~ Kansas Mental Health Coalition, since September 2013
~ Kansas – NASW
~ NASW
~ Participated in Kansas team at University of Rochester Spring 2008 Research Institute on Promotion of Mental Health Through Community Collaborations in Research.
~ Chair of Suicide Prevention Subcommittee, March 2010 – February 2012: activities included bringing David Litts from Suicide Prevention Resource Center for presentations during Suicide Prevention Week 2010
~ 2011 – 2012: Member of Haskell Indian Nations University Suicide Prevention Work Group

Some Notable Accomplishments as Director of Headquarters, Inc
~ In mid-1980’s served as one of the founders of Douglas County AIDS Project (DCAP), working closely with Anne Ailor, Tom Christie, Allan Omoto, Charlie Peterson.  Previous to DCAP, Headquarters volunteer Craig Miller developed training and referral information for use at Headquarters
~ In mid-1980’s with John Musgrave and other Vietnam Combat Veterans, created a peer counseling network available through Headqduarters
~ Began teen suicide prevention education in 1985; with original program developed with Martha Skeet, then Director of Nursing for USD 497 and Bob Franz, USD 497 Social Worker
~ Added phone line and safety programs for children in 1985; with Jan Arado developing these programs; later Chad Sublet, and then Brian Runk
~ Began survivors of suicide support groups in 1995; original group provided with co-facilitator Thad Holcombe
~ Provided annual community awareness activities during Suicide Prevention Week and International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day
~ Headquarters became first center in Kansas to be certified by American Association of Suicidology in 2001
~ Headquarters became member of 1.800.SUICIDE, the National Hopeline Network, first national suicide prevention network, since 2001
~ Established first Emergency Management Disaster Mental Health Team in Kansas in 2001; with Chad Sublet as co-lead
~ Headquarters participated in SAMHSA-funded 2003-2004 Silent Monitoring research project
~ Headquarters became member of National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, national suicide prevention network, since its inception in January 2005
~ Headquarters was first & only Kansas center on national suicide prevention network
~ Headquarters was first Kansas center credentialed by American Association of Suicidology
~ Served on grant-writing committee that resulted in SAMHSA Garrett Lee Smith Youth Suicide Prevention Grant for Kansas, for August 2012 through July 2015
~ Center was recognized with Crisis Center Excellence Award by American Association of Suicidology, April 2013

Education and Licensure
Since 2000: LMSW #4644 from Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board
2000: MSW in Clinical Social Work from Kansas University
1997: BGS in Social Sciences from Kansas University

Personal
With family, including a beloved dog, live in “painted lady” Victorian home on National Register of Historic Sites in the Oread Neighborhood of Lawrence, Kansas. Hobbies include collecting antique beads from African and Native American trade, knitting, learning to play guitar, reading, and promoting poetry as an important tool for communication and connection. Volunteerism has included service through hospice, rape/sexual assault support, AIDS support, local schools, and neighborhood/preservation organizations.