Coalition History

NACO 2023 Achievement Award Winner

In 2012, Johnson County Mental Health Center (JCMHC) brought more than 150 community partners together for the Suicide Prevention Summit. Representatives from healthcare, education, law enforcement and local government addressed rising suicide rates in Johnson County and identified prevention strategies.

Focus groups then reviewed information from the summit and the Surgeon General’s 2012 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention in March 2013 to determine the top three suicide prevention strategies for our community.

  1. Implement research-informed communication efforts designed to prevent suicide by changing knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors.

  2. Provide training to community and clinical service providers on the prevention of suicide and related behaviors.

  3. ​Promote suicide prevention as a core component of health care services.

Two months later, JCMHC hosted a Key Leader event with leaders of local organizations to present findings and establish support for implementing a local suicide prevention plan. At least 70 participants in three community workgroups began meeting and prioritizing objectives in June 2013. 

In November 2013, community leaders were invited to the Johnson County Suicide Prevention Update event to celebrate the progress and establishment of the Johnson County Suicide Prevention Coalition (SPC).

SPC has continued to make a lasting impact in Johnson County through collaboration, innovation and community engagement. In 2023, its efforts were recognized with the National Association of Counties (NACo) Achievement Award.

Past Initiatives

  • Suicide Awareness Training for educators in the Olathe School District.
  • Self-Care Event for educators and community members in collaboration with the Blue Valley School District. The event featured a presentation from Mike Boniello, LSCSW, LCSW, about understanding compassion fatigue in the workplace.
  • Ally & Care Training (Presented by The Trevor Project) for educators and community members in collaboration with the Blue Valley School District. The training focused on suicide prevention within the LGBTQ+ community.
  • School personnel, mental health professionals and law enforcement attended the Fresh Approaches to Adolescent Suicide Prevention Training with Dr. Bill Geis. This training was in collaboration with the Training for Community and Clinical Service Providers.
  • Youth Mental Health Event that included ethics training at the Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center. Dr. Tish Holub Taylor and the SpeakUp organization presented about child and adolescent mental health as well as suicide prevention.
  • Workshop with Jay Pryor–an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community–as well as an author, speaker and coach. 
  • Research Informed Communication Workgroup training for all six Johnson County public school districts and several private school representatives about the impact of suicide in education and the community. Districts shared protocols, discussed best practices and heard from a panel of local mental health providers.
  • Suicide Awareness Community Event in collaboration with Flippin' Sweet Memorial Disc Golf, The Single Action Shooting Society (SASS) and SpeakUp.
  • Screening of "The S Word" documentary in collaboration with Olathe Public Schools. After the film, a panel of experts from JCMHC, Shawnee Mission Medical Center, Olathe Police Department and the director of the film, Lisa Klein, had an open and honest dialogue about suicide prevention.
  • Speaking Engagement with Kevin Hines, an author and mental health advocate. This event was in collaboration with JCMHC, Kansas Crisis Intervention Team, Tom Karlin Foundation, Shawnee Mission Medical Center and Suicide Awareness Survivor Support.
  • Community Discussion about the Netflix series "13 Reasons Why" with a panel of experts from JCMHC, SpeakUp, Overland Park Police Department, Children’s Mercy, Kansas Suicide Prevention Resource Center, Shawnee Mission Medical Center and Metropolitan Organization Countering Sexual Assault (MOCSA).
  • Partnership with Project ChildSafe and local law enforcement to provide over 500 free cable-style gun locks to the community.