Must-Know’s from Support Groups for Survivors of Suicide Loss
Marcia Epstein, LMSW and Bonnie Swade, MS Ed
Midwest Regional Suicide Prevention Conference
July 21-23, 2015 in Kansas City#MWSP2015 Loss Survivors Presentation PowerPoint

Resources for Survivors of Suicide Loss
including periodic updates

AAS (American Association of Suicidology): Clinician Survivor Task Force
http://cliniciansurvivor.org/

AFSP (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention) I’ve Lost Someone
http://afsp.org/find-support/ive-lost-someone/

AFSP (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention) “Surviving Suicide Loss: A Financial Guide”
http://afsp.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/survivingasuicideloss_afinancialguide.pdf

Alliance of Hope: For Suicide Loss Survivors, A place of Healing and Remembrance
With much helpful info on the website, including book recommendations, plus an online forum
http://www.allianceofhope.org/alliance-of-hope-for-suic/community-forum.html

Children, Teens And Suicide Loss, from The Dougy Center and AFSP, 2017
https://afsp.org/find-support/ive-lost-someone/resources-loss-survivors/children-teens-suicide-loss/

The Compassionate Friends, for parents who have experienced the death of a child of any age, from any cause
www.compassionatefriends.org

The Dougy Center, for grieving children, including DVD’s and books specific to suicide loss
www.dougy.org

Fatherless by Suicide, a collaborative storytelling project by and for sons of fathers who died by suicide
http://www.FatherlessBySuicide.com/

For Wanda, 16-minute film about saying goodbye after suicide loss
http://www.ForWanda.com/

Grief After Suicide Resources
www.personalgriefcoach.net

Grief After Suicide Blog by Franklin Cook
http://www.personalgriefcoach.info/

Guide For Early Responders Supporting Survivors Bereaved by Suicide (Canada)
http://suicideprevention.azurewebsites.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Early-Responder-Final.pdf

The Grief Toolbox
Much helpful information, although not solely for suicide loss
http://thegrieftoolbox.com/

International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day
Info about events each November, plus past years’ documentaries

National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention: Responding to Grief, Trauma, and Distress After a Suicide: U.S. National Guidelines (2015)
http://actionallianceforsuicideprevention.org/sites/actionallianceforsuicideprevention.org/files/NationalGuidelines.pdf

National Organization of People of Color Against Suicide
www.nopcas.org

Our Side of Suicide, blog by two survivors of suicide loss
http://www.OurSideOfSuicide.com/

Resource Packet for Survivors of Suicide Loss from New Hampshire’s Connect Program
http://theconnectprogram.org/survivors/surviving-suicide-loss/nh-survivor-resource-packet

The Samaritans of New York, Beyond Surviving
www.samaritansbeyondsurviving.org/

SASS Mo-Kan Suicide Awareness Survivor Support
www.sass-mokan.com

Six Questions With Julie Cerel
Video interview about the real and LARGE number of people impacted by suicide loss
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzSAPBswDXw

SPAN USA & SPRC “Supporting Survivors of Suicide Loss: A Guide For Funeral Directors”
http://store.samhsa.gov/product/A-Guide-for-Funeral-Directors-Supporting-Survivors-of-Suicide-Loss/SMA09-4375

SPRC “Suicide Postvention as Suicide Prevention” (4 page handout from November 2014)
http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/library/Resources%20for%20Postvention%20as%20Prevention.pdf

The Mighty, Suicide Loss Survivors blogs
https://themighty.com/tag/suicide-loss-survivors/

The Suicide Funeral (or Memorial Service): Honoring Their Memory, Comforting Their Survivors
Edited by Melinda Moore and Daniel A. Roberts, Resource Publications, May 2017
https://wipfandstock.com/the-suicide-funeral-or-memorial-service.html

What’s Your Grief? helpful information for those bereaved by any cause
https://whatsyourgrief.com/

Training For Facilitators of Suicide Loss Support Groups

AFSP 2-day Training Program for Facilitators
https://www.afsp.org/facilitatortraining

AFSP Drop-In Conference Calls for Facilitators
http://afsp.org/find-support/ive-lost-someone/find-a-support-group/information-for-support-group-facilitators/

Friends for Survival, “Pathways to Purpose and Hope”
http://www.friendsforsurvival.org/pathways.html

Lifeline Australia’s “Practice Handbook: Suicide Bereavement Support Group Facilitation,” 2009, which contains information designed to help facilitators work on practices recommended in “Towards Good Practice: Standards & Guidelines for Suicide Bereavement Support Groups” 2009.  Both are available for download at:
https://www.lifeline.org.au/About-Lifeline/Publications-Library

NAMI New Hampshire, Survivor Voices: Sharing the Story of Suicide Loss, 2 day training. Fees involved. http://theconnectprogram.org/survivors/survivorvoices-sharing-story-suicide-loss

SPAN USA 2007, Basics: Facilitating a Suicide Survivors Support Group:http://www.gspin.org/system/files/filedepot/14/BasicsofFacilitatingSurvivorsSupportGroup.pdf

“How to Start a Survivors’ Group” by the World Health Organization, 2008
http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2008/9789241597067_eng.pdf?ua=1

Training for Suicide Loss Survivor Outreach Teams

Survivor Outreach Team Training Manual.  For free PDF, contact:
Ellen Eggert, LAADC, GRS
Program Support Supervisor
Kern County Mental Health Department, Bakersfield, CA
Email: EEggert@co.kern.ca.us

Considerations for Sharing Your Story

 AAS (American Association of Suicidology): Telling Your Own Story: Special Considerations for Telling Your Own Story: Best Practices for Presentations by Suicide Loss and Suicide Attempt Survivorshttp://www.suicidology.org/Portals/14/docs/Survivors/Loss%20Survivors/Best_Practices_Presentations_Suicide_Loss_Suicide_Attempt_Survivors.pdf

Support for Clinicians Who Have Experienced Suicide Loss

Clinicians as Survivors After Suicide Loss
http://mypage.iu.edu/~jmcintos/therapists_mainpg.htm

Training for Clinicians Working with Survivors of Suicide Loss

AAS/AFSP Suicide Bereavement Clinician Training Program. Fees
http://www.afsp.org/coping-with-suicide-loss/education-training/aas-afsp-suicide-bereavement-clinician-training-program

Media Recommendations for Reporting on Suicide

Entertainment Industries Council Recommendations About Suicide Safety
http://www.eiconline.org/topic-areas/mental-health/suicide-prevention/

Recommendations for Reporting on Suicide
http://reportingonsuicide.org/

National 24/7 Crisis Support Resources

Crisis Text Line, text “Start” to 741-741  http://www.crisistextline.org/get-help-now/

NSPL www.SuicidePreventionLifeline.org 800-273-8255 (TALK)

Trans Lifeline www.TransLifeline.org 877-565-8860

The Trevor Project www.TheTrevorProject.org 866-488-7386

Veterans Crisis Line www.VeteransCrisisLine.net 800-273-8255 Option 1