Representative: Darienne Blair, darienne.blair@columbiacountywi.gov

Health educator who works on all mental health programing for Columbia County Public Health/HHS. I teach QPR and soon PreVenture. I am the coalition leader for Columbia County and work on all initiatives include: scholarships for high school students, Walk for Hope Suicide Prevention Walk, social media and outreach, monthly newsletter, and school based program grants/communication.

Prevention Strategy Work Fulfills: 

• Strategy 1: Increase and Enhance Protective Factors
• Strategy 2: Increase Access to Care for At-Risk Populations

Representative: Patty Slater, slatter.namirock@gmail.com

I have over 20 years of lived experience of being through the Wisconsin hospital systems and living with mental illness and suicide ideation. I am faculty for zero suicide with Mental Health America of Wisconsin as Lived Experience.

Prevention Strategy Work Fulfills:

• Strategy 3: Implement Best Practices for Prevention in Healthcare Systems

Representative: Andrea Nauer Waldschmidt, andrea.nauerwaldschmidt@milwaukeecountywi.gov

I clinically lead clinicians and certified peer specialists as a walk-in crisis clinic. At times, suicidal thoughts may be the crisis, we utilize screening, risk assessing and safety planning to identify those at risk and work to safety plan and find the safest/most appropriate least restrictive alternative. I also co-chair Prevent Suicide of Greater Milwaukee.

Prevention Strategy Work Fulfills:

• Strategy 2: Increase Access to Care for At-Risk Populations

Representative: Chelsalyn Klatt, chelsalyn.klatt@eauclairecounty.gov

I am a public health nurse and I coordinate and facilitate our county's death review teams where we review deaths of a certain manner and look for opportunities for intervention to help prevent future like-minded deaths. I also support/help coordinate and sit on our local community coalitions including the mental health action team and tri-county suicide prevention workgroup, which is a subgroup of Chippewa, Dunn, and Eau Claire County's Mental Health Action teams.

Prevention Strategy Work Fulfills:

• Strategy 1: Increase and Enhance Protective Factors

Representative: Renee Sutkay,  rsutkay@wchq.org

At the Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality, we work with member health systems throughout Wisconsin to improve care quality in their work. We have a project focused on improving behavioral health screening and treatment throughout those health systems, and a part of that behavioral health improvement work also involved suicide prevention through screening and treatment. 

Prevention Strategy Work Fulfills: 

• Strategy 2: Increase Access to Care for At-Risk Populations
• Strategy 3: Implement Best Practices for Prevention in Healthcare Systems

Representative: Sara Kohlbeck, skohlbeck@mcw.edu

I direct the Division of Suicide Research and Healing at the Medical College of Wisconsin. I conduct research on suicide and suicide prevention particularly in disproportionately affected communities.

Prevention Strategy Work Fulfills: 

• Strategy 4: Improve Surveillance of Suicide and Evaluation of Prevention Programs

Representative: Tricia Monroe, pmonroe@mcw.edu

I currently manage an active postvention program in Milwaukee County that provides outreach and support to individuals impacted by suicide loss. We provide resource materials, as well as resource navigation support, and follow up for a year following initial contact. Our division also supports the training and technical assistance for communities to develop/expand postvention programming, including a Community of Practice. Trainings on suicide bereavement are currently being planned.

Prevention Strategy Work Fulfills: 

• Strategy 1: Increase and Enhance Protective Factors
• Strategy 2: increase Access to Care for At-Risk Populations

Representative: Rachel Glassford, rglassford@mcw.edu

The Division of Suicide Research and Healing advances suicide research in Wisconsin, educates and engages partners and the MCW community to maximize adoption, reach, and efficacy of suicide prevention efforts. In my role as a Research Program Coordinator, I specifically facilitate on-campus suicide prevention programming for medical, graduate, and pharmacy students as well as faculty and staff.

Prevention Strategy Work Fulfills:

• Strategy 4: Improve Surveillance of Suicide and Evaluation of Prevention Programs

Representative: Pamela Imm, pamela.imm@wi.gov

Department of Health Services has a Comprehensive Suicide Prevention (CSP) grant and shares data and implements interventions for two populations: adolescents and rural men. CSP epidemiology conducts additional analysis and data dissemination including for public-partner use of dashboards.

Prevention Strategy Work Fulfills:

• Strategy 4: Improve Surveillance of Suicide and Evaluation of Prevention Programs

Representative: Clare Martell, clare.martell@milwaukeecountywi.gov

As Suicide Prevention Coordinator at Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Services I help coordinate suicide prevention efforts across Milwaukee County programs, as well as facilitate increased dialogue and expansion of all associated efforts. One part of this role is coordinating implementation of the Zero Suicide framework.

Prevention Strategy Work Fulfills: 

• Strategy 1: Increase and Enhance Protective Factors
• Strategy 2: Increase Access to Care for At-Risk Populations
• Strategy 3: Implement Best Practices for Prevention in Healthcare Systems
• Strategy 4: Improve Surveillance of Suicide and Evaluation of Prevention Programs

Representative: Kyle Morrison, wisconsin@afsp.org

Leading funder for suicide prevention research

Prevention Strategy Work Fulfills:

• Strategy 1: Increase and Enhance Protective Factors
• Strategy 2: Increase Access to Care for At-Risk Populations

Representative: Julianne Dwyer, julianne.dwyer@dhs.wisconsin.gov

DHS/DCTS houses the state mental health authority. I serve as a subject matter resource and administer funding for suicide prevention. I also participate in Zero Suicide efforts, including the annual Wisconsin Zero Suicide Training.

Prevention Strategy Work Fulfills: 

• Strategy 3: Implement Best Practices for Prevention in Healthcare Systems

Representative: Pamela Stock, pamela.stock@columbiacountywi.gov

Our office is currently partnering with our local Prevent Suicide Columbia County coalition to raise awareness and prevent stigma in order to provide a suicide safer community. We also are looking to start a Suicide/Child Death Review Team within the next few months. This will allow our team to conduct monthly case reviews to help decrease the suicide mortality and morbidity rates within our community.

Prevention Strategy Work Fulfills:

• Strategy 4: Improve Surveillance of Suicide and Evaluation of Prevention Programs

Representative: Leah Rolando, lrolando@safercommunity.net

As a Program Manager at Safe Communities MDC, I coordinate our county-wide Ending Deaths from Despair Task Force, a coalition launched by the Dane County Executive's Office and made up of multiple stakeholders working on suicide prevention, overdose prevention, and harm reduction. I work with local gun shops on lethal means safety, oversee MedDrop (med disposal) efforts, support and train schools in Sources of Strength (peer to peer upstream suicide prevention and wellness program), deliver suicide prevention trainings, and coordinate a local Zero Suicide Collaborative.

Prevention Strategy Work Fulfills: 

• Strategy 1: Increase and Enhance Protective Factors
• Strategy 2: Increase Access to Care for At-Risk Populations
• Strategy 3: Implement Best Practices for Prevention in Healthcare Systems

Representative: Jodie Molitor, jodie.molitor@saukcountywi.gov

Sauk County has high rates of suicide attempts and deaths. Locally, people in crisis have easy access to guns. We are supporting the Live today, Put it Away Safe Storage program for gun shop and shooting range owners to provide free or low cost firearm storage to reduce access to lethal means for anyone in crisis.

Prevention Strategy Work Fulfills:

• Strategy 1: Increase and Enhance Protective Factors
• Strategy 2: Increase Access to Care for At-Risk Populations

Representative: Andrea Donegan, andrea.donegan@dpi.wi.gov

Suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention support, training, and resources are carried out by the Department of Public Instruction's (DPI) Student Services/Prevention and Wellness (SSPW) Team, in collaboration with internal and external partners. Consultation, technical assistance, and resource development on suicide prevention specifically, and comprehensive mental health systems, more broadly, are provided to school districts, state, and local agencies, parents and interest groups, and institutes of higher education.

Prevention Strategy Work Fulfills: 

• Strategy 1: Increase and Enhance Protective Factors
• Strategy 2: Increase Access to Care for At-Risk Populations

Representative: Debbie Rueber, deborah.rueber@va.gov

Prevention Strategy Work Fulfills:

• Strategy 2: Increase Access to Care for At-Risk Populations

Representative: Vaynesia Kendrick, vaynesia.kendrick@milwaukeecountywi.gov

The Community Access to Recovery Services (CARS) Prevention and Harm Reduction Team promotes community-centered, evidence-based primary prevention strategies. We strive to reduce overdose deaths, prevent substance misuse disorder, promote harm reduction, and foster a culture of health and wellness. Our organization works to provide mental health and substance use prevention resources to communities in Milwaukee County. These resources include but are not limited to narcan, fentanyl testing strips, gun locks, medication lock bags, and medication deactivation bags. These items are available upon request and through our harm reduction vending machines.

Prevention Strategy Work Fulfills: 

• Strategy 1: Increase and Enhance Protective Factors

Representative: Katrina Johnson, katrina@connectstrength.com

Define and prioritize a data-driven strategy for three pillars of wellness initiatives; 1) increase psychoeducation for mental health signs and symptoms, 2) increase help-seeking and help-receiving skills, and 3) increase belonging. Initiatives are interdependent and interconnected with securing funding, creating access to radically upstream mental health screening, and forming partnerships with other organizations. We do this through play and fun

Prevention Strategy Work Fulfills:

• Strategy 1: Increase and Enhance Protective Factors
• Strategy 2: Increase Access to Care for At-Risk Populations
• Strategy 3: Implement Best Practices for Prevention in Healthcare Systems

Representative: Shawn Monson, s.monson@swcap.org

Prevention Strategy Work Fulfills: 

• Strategy 1: Increase and Enhance Protective Factors
• Strategy 2: Increase Access to Care for At-Risk Populations

Representative: Brian Michel, brian@mhawisconsin.org

Representative: Erica Steib, erica@mhawisconsin.org

Representative: Jensen Bosio, jensen@mhawisconsin.org

As Program Supervisor for Uplift WI, we aren't marketed as a crisis line, however we certainly don't turn people away that are in crisis. Uplift WI is unique in that we do not do non-informed consent-based interventions or call emergency services without the callers permission. Our call volume increase since we've launched last July has shown that there was certainly a need for an informed consent-based line for Wisconsin residents. I've worked previously as the Zero Suicide Coordinator and I am a peer and have worked in Peer Support for six years. I spoke at the PSW conference on the Lived Experience panel in 2023.

Prevention Strategy Work Fulfills:

• Strategy 2: Increase Access to Care for At-Risk Populations
• Strategy 3: implement Best Practices for Prevention in Healthcare Systems

Representative: Cat Horzewski, cat@mhawisconsin.org

I'm a shift supervisor with Uplift WI (the Statewide Peer Run Warmline) where we offer a space for callers that prioritizes self-determination in accessing support. By this we do not initiate non-requested interventions on behalf of our callers. People reaching out are free to openly discuss whatever they desire without fear of repercussions, creating an outlet that may not exist in other interactions. I also facilitate support groups for suicide loss survivors and those who live with thoughts of suicide.

Prevention Strategy Work Fulfill:

• Strategy 2: Increase Access to Care for At-Risk Populations
• Strategy 4: Improve Surveillance of Suicide and Evaluation of Prevention Programs

Representative: Alisha Nelson, alisha@mhawisconsin.org

Zero Suicide Program Coordinator responsible for the yearly Zero Suicide training. I also follow-up with current cohorts through resource sharing and fidelity checks.

Prevention Strategy Work Fulfill:

• Strategy 3: Implement Best Practices for Prevention in Healthcare Systems

Representative: Kelsey Van Hoorn, kelsey@mhaswisconsin.org

As a Suicide Prevention Specialist I help plan and facilitate PSW meetings, share resources with our partners, promote PSW activities, provide technical assistance for local state coalitions, and help put together the Wisconsin Suicide Prevention Plan. We are constantly working with all our public and private partners to ensure that PSW is an effective coalition working collectively towards the goal of reducing suicide deaths in Wisconsin. I also provide technical assistance for schools in Wisconsin that receive the Garrett Lee Smith grant from MHA Wisconsin for school-based peer-to-peer programs to help prevent youth suicides.

Prevention Strategy Work Fulfills: 

• Strategy 1: Increase and Enhance Protective Factors
• Strategy 4: Improve Surveillance of Suicide and Evaluation of Prevention Programs