Program Area: Suicide Prevention & Harm Reduction
Suicide Prevention & Harm Reduction Coalition (SPHRC)
Formerly Ending Deaths from Despair Task Force.
working to end preventable injuries & deaths in Dane County
We are a community-based coalition of friends, families, neighbors, and professional stakeholders organizing and mobilizing to reduce preventable injuries and deaths by suicide, opiate, alcohol, and other substance use in Dane County.
Members include mental health providers, public health professionals, first responders, students, and community advocates. We aim to review the current resources available in the county and fill in the gaps.
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Our Coalition
SPHRC membership
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- Aurielle Smith: Director of Policy, Planning and Evaluation, Public Health Madison and Dane County and Safe Communities Board Member
- Carrie Meier: Assistant Chief, Dane County Emergency Management
- Carrie Simon: Behavioral Health Manager, Dane County Human Services
- Charles Tubbs Sr: Director, Dane County Emergency Management
- Charlestine Daniel: Founder, African American Opioid Coalition of Safe Communities
- Chief Aaron Chapin: McFarland Police Department, Dane County Police Chief’s Association
- Division Chief Liza Tatar: Madison Fire Department
- Dan Olson: Superintendent, Monona Grove Public Schools
- Eli Tsarovsky, University Health Services, Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Promotion Team, UW Madison
- Emily Anderson: Middleton VA Hospital, Pain Care Resource Nurse
- Eric Anderson: EMS Data Analyst, Dane County Emergency Management
- Hannah Flanagan: Director, Crisis Services, Journey Mental Health
- Jaime Craig, Wisconsin Medical Society Foundation
- Jenny Lee, UW Health
- Jean Papalia, Safe Communities, WI DHS
- Jeanne McLellan: Executive Director, NAMI of Dane County
- Jill McHone: Executive Director, Fitchburg Senior Center
- Jim Van Den Brandt, Dane County Department of Human Services
- Josh Schmitz, Safety Director, CG Schmidt
- Judge Susan Crawford: Dane County Circuit Court, OWI Court Judge
- Julia Stanley: Journey Mental Health
- Kailey Peterson, Dane County Emergency Management
- Kara McCaffrey: Chief Wellness Officer, Houck Group, Inc
- Katrina Hickle-Koclanes, MD: Psychiatrist, Member & Executive Council, Wisconsin Psychiatric Association
- Kerry Porter, Dane County Sheriff’s Office
- Kyle Martin, MD: Emergency Physician, St. Mary’s Hospital Emergency Department
- Lauren Werner: Behavioral Health Business Manager, UW Health
- Lilly Roe, Safe Communities MDC
- Linda Lenzke: Executive Director, OUTReach LGBTQ Community Center
- Lori Chalecki, Madison Police Department
- Lindsay Wallace: Behavioral Health Program Manager, Dean Health Plan
- Lupita Montoto: La Movida Radio and Safe Communities Board Member
- Mary Lauby: Adult Injury Prevention Coordinator, UW Health
- Nyra Jordan: Social Impact Investment Director, American Family Insurance
- Rachel Edwards: Nurse Manager, Behavioral Health, UW Health and Chair, Zero Suicide Collaborative of Safe Communities
- Ritu Bhatnagar, WI Society of Addiction Medicine
- Romilia Schlueter: Suicide Prevention Trainer (Spanish), Safe Communities
- Sara Allee-Jatta: Outreach Worker, Homeless Service Consortium
- Sarah Dunn: Vice President CG Schmidt
- Steve Starkey: Executive Director, OUTReach LGBTQ Community Center
- Tanya Kraege, Safe Communities MDC
- Tanya Lettman-Shue: Executive Director, Journey Mental Health
- Todd Campbell, Dane County Human Services
- Virginia Gittens Escudero: Executive Director, UNIDOS
- Xerxes Minocher: Center for Journalism Ethics, UW Madison
Our Coalition Members
Our Programs
Zero Suicide Collaborative
Safe Communities convenes a Zero Suicide Collaborative that includes all area health care systems as well as community organizations with a role to play in supporting people with thoughts of suicide.
Suicide Prevention Training
Safe Communities offers a free training to groups in Dane County. Holding Space for Conversations about Suicide, informed by the Wildflower Alliance, presents paradigm shifts in the suicide prevention field, offers phrases to use when talking with someone who is thinking about suicide, and provides resources for support.
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