Brief History
In 2015, a handful of individuals from UCHealth and Voices Carry Child Advocay Center began to meet as a planning committee for a community symposium on youth suicide, yet when they began to meet, they realized they did not know one another or know what programs were offered through each agency.
As they continued to meet month to month, they quickly realized what they really needed wasn’t a one time event, it was an ongoing coalition that provided the opportunity to:
- eliminate duplication of efforts and resource
- cross-pollinate ideas
- serve as a hub for suicide prevention work in Northern Colorado
from this, Imagine Zero was born. Funding was secured through the Child Fatality Review Board to build a website and hire a part time coordinator.
As Imagine Zero grew from 8 to 20 and on, the coordinator position outgrew the funding through the Child Fatality Review Board and needed to find a new home.
In early 2017 we were thrilled when Grief Support of the Rockies agreed to lead IZ and create a Coalition Coordinator position to build the coalition’s reach. Later that year Imagine Zero was contacted by the Office of Suicide Prevention and was asked to help spearhead the work of the Colorado National Collaborative (CNC) in Larimer County. When that occurred, it became clear that IZ needed a team to accomplish the work ahead. Grief Support of the Rockies and Imagine Zero immediately began to look for funding and bridged the gap until a grant came through SummitStone Health Partners and in 2018 SHP became the backbone agency for IZ for a year.
With a transition in leadership at the Alliance for Suicide Prevention (ASP), a door opened, and the timing was perfect to align the missions and efforts between ASP and IZ. In mid 2019 two organizations joined forces.
Priorities
Our coalition has prioritized communication and collaboration above all, but also recognizes the need to improve mental health outreach and education, to normalize the conversation around suicide, and to increase access to mental health care for all.
We support and actively participate in the state-wide Zero Suicide and Colorado National Collaborative (CNC) initiatives. Through partcipation in these initatives we hope to reduce the suicide rate by 20% by 2024. We believe in these models and encouraging interagency communication and collaboration as we work towards shifting the culture of Northern Colorado to a Zero Suicide region.
The Colorado-National Collaborative (CNC) is a partnership of local, state, and national scientists and public health professionals working with health and social service agencies, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, businesses, academic organizations, and Colorado residents to identify, promote and implement comprehensive state- and community-based strategies for preventing suicide. In 2018, there were 1,246 suicides among Colorado residents resulting in an age-adjusted suicide rate of 21.2 per 100,000 and is the tenth highest in the nation.
Solutions to complex public health problems, like suicide, are often most successful when government, businesses, health services, nonprofit organizations, and individual citizens coordinate their efforts. This way, partners can channel their resources to the same goals, avoid duplicating efforts, and enhance each other’s work to produce lasting change.
Larimer County is one of 6 counties in Colorado tasked to build a community-wide strategic framework of suicide prevention through the CNC, and we need your help to make it successful.
You can read more about the CNC here, and below you can find more information on how to get involved.
Get involved
Imagine Zero of Larimer Main Coalition Meetings:
Imagine Zero of Larimer hosts quarterly coalition meetings on the second Tuesday in January, April, July, and October. These meetings are attended by citizens and agencies from across the county, and provide training and networking opportunities in order to reduce duplication and cross-pollinate suicide prevention efforts.
Join a Committee
Zero Suicide
The Zero Suicide workgroup was created to support the medical and behavioral health organizations that are actively implementing the Zero Suicide Framework. The workgroup is a “boots on the ground” group of providers who meet monthly to discuss progress and challenges around Zero Suicide implementation.
LGBTQ+
The LGBTQ+ workgroup meets monthly and provides a space for addressing issues most pertinent to LGBTQ+ folks in Larimer county, for LGBTQ+ serving professionals or any professional & organizations to come together, share news, and collaborate to make a more inclusive Larimer County.
Allies welcome & encouraged to attend
Larimer County Training Collaborative (LCTC)
The LCTC (Larimer County Trainings Collaborative) meets monthly, to support each other in training and programming goals, and to discuss methods of getting more mental health-related trainings out into the community.
Postvention
The Postvention group meets to bridge gaps in crisis response following a suicide, to share strategies and services for those supporting postvention efforts across Northern Colorado.
Steering Committee
The Steering Committee determines coalition priorities and provides guidance for event planning and sustainability. Members participate in other community organizations and share suicide prevention resources to help eliminate duplication of efforts and cross-pollinate ideas.
These groups are open to everyone, whether you provide direct services, are interested in helping the cause, want to learn more or share your lived experience.
The Alliance for Suicide Prevention of Larimer County is the backbone organization for Imagine Zero Suicide of Larimer County. To learn more, visit AllianceForSuicidePrevention.org.
To make a donation, please click below.
Resources
Walk In
1217 Riverside Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80521
8 AM - midnight
Call
Colorado Crisis Support
1-844-493-8255
Text
Text TALK to 38255