Wellpoint Care Network One of Three Sites Across Country Participating in Project Focused on Community Support for Those Struggling with Suicide 

Wellpoint Care Network is a member of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN). Their mission is to raise the standard of care and improve access to services for traumatized children, their families and communities throughout the United States. Wellpoint Care became a member of NCTSN in 2021 as a result of receiving a $2 million grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) that funds Project Thrive, our collaboration with Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee and Medical College of Wisconsin. 

As part of the partnership with NCTSN, Wellpoint Care Network is pleased to have been selected to participate in a new project that will focus on community support for individuals struggling with thoughts of suicide or self-harm. 

“The NCTSN often holds what are called Breakthrough Series Collaboratives (BSC), which identify a problem area that may need more focus or a new approach,” said Liz Davison, Wellpoint Care Network Clinical Supervisor and Therapist. “This one focuses on suicide, but not through the same typical lens of something like, ‘Which screener should we use or when do we send them inpatient.’ The focus is more about the community — strengthening community supports or connection to community. We are trying to answer the questions, ‘How do we help people get safe support where they already are? How do we help trusted people in the community know how to respond if somebody talks to them about suicide?’ Those kinds of concepts.” 

Wellpoint Care Network is one of only three sites across the country selected to participate in this project. The other two are in Louisiana and California.  

“Each site must select a community partner as a starting point to figure out the best ways to connect with the community,” said Davison. “We chose to partner with Pewaukee School District because they had a death by suicide last year in their system and we worked closely with them through that difficult situation. We’ve wanted to expand that relationship to continue to share warning signs, risk factors, etc., so this felt like the perfect moment to expand our support.” 

Long-term, the goal would be to share this important knowledge to other communities across the state of Wisconsin.  

“The big picture idea is for us to come up with some recommendations of practical things communities or agencies can do to help provide support,” added Davison. “Statistics show our teens are struggling. The suicide rates, suicidal ideation, everything is going up. Being able to say, ‘We know this is happening, here are some things you could try.’ We want to try to build a toolbox that can help all communities.” 

Suicide is an urgent and growing public health crisis. More than 49,000 people in the United States died by suicide in 2022. That’s one death every 11 minutes. Here in Wisconsin, this public health crisis is having a tremendous impact on our youth. The 2023 Wisconsin Youth Risk Behavior Survey shows that 18.6% of students in Wisconsin have seriously considered suicide, 14.9% have made a plan to attempt suicide and 8.7% have attempted suicide. 

“For a lot of kids, when they start struggling with suicidality, they are sent away from their community,” said Davison. “They’re sent to a therapist who may not even be connected to their community at all, especially kids that live in more urban parts of town where there aren’t as many providers. And then when kids need hospitalization or go to a higher level of care, it’s almost never in their own community. So, you’re developing relationships and supports with strangers who aren’t part of your community. Then eventually, you leave that bubble and go back to your community who doesn’t know how to support you. So, this is all about building up support for kids outside of traditional therapy where they can get some of those needs met by the people they already turn to for support — teachers, coaches, faith-based leaders, etc.” 

This new project in partnership with NCTSN begins in September 2024 and runs for 12 to 18 months.  

“This project is a great way for Wellpoint Care Network to continue and expand our mental health work in some bigger picture initiatives both in our community and across the country. We are excited to be part of this important collaborative helping to create community-based solutions throughout the state of Wisconsin.”