DATE: September 1, 2020
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Dawan Utecht, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT: Hinds Hospice Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors Team Annual
Report
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Accept the Hinds Hospice Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors Team 2019-2020 Annual Report
REPORT
This report will summarize the activities of the Department’s Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors (LOSS) Team program provided by Hinds Hospice from July 15, 2019 through June 30, 2020.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
There is no viable alternative action. Following discussion of the April 9, 2019 agenda item to approve the Hinds Hospice LOSS Team program agreement, your Board requested that the Department provide program updates annually.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action.
DISCUSSION:
On April 9, 2019, your Board approved an agreement with Hinds Hospice for the provision of a Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors (LOSS) Team to provide information, support, warm linkage, and resources to newly bereaved suicide survivors. This report will summarize the activities of the County’s Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors (LOSS) Team program for Fiscal Year 2019/2020.
During FY 2019/2020, there were a total of 97 suicides, which was less than FY 2017/2018 (121) and FY 2018/2019 (113). June 2020 saw an unusually high number of suicides (17) compared to other months. Although a specific reason cannot be linked to the June increase, the addition of the COVID pandemic to the various suicide risk factors may have contributed to the increase. However, for July 2020, the number did drop to only 4 suicides.
For FY 2019/2020, the LOSS Team was able to meet the response rate goal of 60% by responding to 73% of all suicide deaths in Fresno County. This number would have been higher, but some of the suicides took place during the initial ramp-up phases when LOSS Team response was limited. It is anticipated that the response rate will increase for FY 2020/2021.
With the LOSS Team in place, the number of individuals served in Fresno County has significantly increased. In the 15 months prior to the implementation of the LOSS Team,135 individuals received suicide loss services. This number increased to 332 (146% increase) for the 15-month period of April 2019 to June 2020. In addition, the number of therapy sessions provided to the community has also seen a significant increase (156 prior vs. 457 since implementation).
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI # 36, April 9, 2019
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - LOSS Team FY 2019/20 Annual Report
CAO ANALYST:
Ronald Alexander