<p>If someone is thinking about suicide, <strong>here are some action steps to take to encourage safety </strong>(adapted from the Suicide Prevention Center of New York State):</p>
<ul>
<li>Ask the person to make a promise to you or themselves not to do anything right now. Remind them that suicidal thoughts come and go and ask them to contract for safety in the short-term.</li>
<li>Avoid alcohol and drugs, as substances can cause individuals to feel even more emotionally dysregulated.</li>
<li>Make the home environment safe by reducing access to potentially lethal means. Locking up lethal means does not have to be a forever plan, however it makes sense to remove anything that could be used to harm self if someone has been feeling unsafe recently.</li>
<li>Stay hopeful and be encouraging; people do get through this!</li>
<li>If someone has disclosed unsafe thoughts to you, thank the person for reaching out and trusting you to listen and help. It takes strength and self-awareness to admit to having suicidal thoughts and feeling vulnerable.</li>
<li>Help the individual contact their primary or mental health care provider to make an appointment for as soon as possible.</li>
<li>Remind the person of emergency services provider contacts, including the option to visit a local psychiatric emergency department if needed.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>If you yourself are struggling</strong> and you are not sure how to talk about your suicidal thoughts, here are some things that might help:</p>
<ul>
<li>Describe your internal thoughts.</li>
<li>If you have a plan to complete suicide, explain it to someone you trust and physically surround yourself with at least one trusted person so that you are not alone.</li>
<li>Be clear and specifically say that you are thinking about suicide. Avoid falling into the "mind reading thinking trap," where someone assumes that others know what they're thinking or feeling without communicating their thoughts or feelings to them.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>MCC Counseling Center </strong>staff will be conducting counseling appointments by either a secure video platform or by phone, throughout the month of September and until further notice. <strong>Our goal is to provide solution focused, brief intervention in support of positive coping and problem solving during what may be a difficult and uncertain time. </strong>The Center hours of business are Monday through Friday from 8:45am-4:45pm. Currently enrolled students may call the office at 585-292-2140 or email <a href="mailto:counselingservices@monroecc.edu">counselingservices@monroecc.edu</a> to schedule an appointment to talk with a licensed counselor. Please note that the Center does not provide support on-call or during nights, weekends, or holidays.</p>
<p><strong>Additional Community Mental Health Resource Information:</strong></p>
<p><strong>You may also refer to the community providers list attached here for your reference.</strong> Please note that this is not meant to be an exhaustive list of resources and providers are not listed in any particular order. Additionally, business hours/practices may change given the current Covid-19 climate. Because of this we suggest that individuals contact each provider to confirm the most up-to-date information before attempting to access resources.</p>
<p>We wish you all a safe and healthy start to this new, and undoubtedly different, semester with your fellow students and/or colleagues!</p>
<p><strong>Warmly,</strong></p>
<p><strong>MCC Counseling &amp; Disability Services Team </strong></p>
<p>Phone: (585) 292-2140</p>
<p>Email: <a href="mailto:counselingservices@monroecc.edu">counselingservices@monroecc.edu</a> &amp; <a href="mailto:disabilityservices@monroecc.edu">disabilityservices@monroecc.edu</a></p>

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MCC Daily Tribune

National Suicide Prevention Day: Highlighting Resources & Safety Tips

Today is National Suicide Prevention Day and we are eager to review some resources and safety tips with you all. We know that it is a commonly held myth that talking about suicide will encourage and lead to suicide, but this is not the case. As a community, we should not be afraid to speak up and ask if someone is feeling suicidal; it does not require a trained mental health professional to recognize warning signs and to connect someone to the appropriate resources. We hope that the below tips and the attached resource list will serve as a guide to help you add more tools to your safety planning toolboxes.

If someone is thinking about suicide, here are some action steps to take to encourage safety (adapted from the Suicide Prevention Center of New York State):

• Ask the person to make a promise to you or themselves not to do anything right now. Remind them that suicidal thoughts come and go and ask them to contract for safety in the short-term.
• Avoid alcohol and drugs, as substances can cause individuals to feel even more emotionally dysregulated.
• Make the home environment safe by reducing access to potentially lethal means. Locking up lethal means does not have to be a forever plan, however it makes sense to remove anything that could be used to harm self if someone has been feeling unsafe recently.
• Stay hopeful and be encouraging; people do get through this!
• If someone has disclosed unsafe thoughts to you, thank the person for reaching out and trusting you to listen and help. It takes strength and self-awareness to admit to having suicidal thoughts and feeling vulnerable.
• Help the individual contact their primary or mental health care provider to make an appointment for as soon as possible.
• Remind the person of emergency services provider contacts, including the option to visit a local psychiatric emergency department if needed.

If you yourself are struggling and you are not sure how to talk about your suicidal thoughts, here are some things that might help:

• Describe your internal thoughts.
• If you have a plan to complete suicide, explain it to someone you trust and physically surround yourself with at least one trusted person so that you are not alone.
• Be clear and specifically say that you are thinking about suicide. Avoid falling into the "mind reading thinking trap," where someone assumes that others know what they're thinking or feeling without communicating their thoughts or feelings to them.

MCC Counseling Center staff will be conducting counseling appointments by either a secure video platform or by phone, throughout the month of September and until further notice. Our goal is to provide solution focused, brief intervention in support of positive coping and problem solving during what may be a difficult and uncertain time. The Center hours of business are Monday through Friday from 8:45am-4:45pm. Currently enrolled students may call the office at 585-292-2140 or email counselingservices@monroecc.edu to schedule an appointment to talk with a licensed counselor. Please note that the Center does not provide support on-call or during nights, weekends, or holidays.

Additional Community Mental Health Resource Information:

You may also refer to the community providers list attached here for your reference. Please note that this is not meant to be an exhaustive list of resources and providers are not listed in any particular order. Additionally, business hours/practices may change given the current Covid-19 climate. Because of this we suggest that individuals contact each provider to confirm the most up-to-date information before attempting to access resources.

We wish you all a safe and healthy start to this new, and undoubtedly different, semester with your fellow students and/or colleagues!

Warmly,

MCC Counseling & Disability Services Team

Phone: (585) 292-2140

Email: counselingservices@monroecc.edu & disabilityservices@monroecc.edu

Attached Files:
Rochester Area Mental Health Therapy and Resource Information Updated 8-18-20.docx

Morgan Kennell
Counseling Center & Disability Services
09/10/2020