One of our greatest accomplishments to date has been working with one of our partners, United Way of West Florida, to engage with the national resource, Crisis Text Line, to provide a community keyword (GULF) for the panhandle.
ERSPC began in 2018 as part of an AmeriCorps VISTA project through Pensacola State College, which recognized from its own suicide prevention work with college students, that there was a great need for this in the wider community. In the first 3 short years, which included the challenges of a year of pandemic, we engaged over 30 organizations, including most of the area’s healthcare systems, law enforcement agencies, school districts, higher education institutions, mental health and substance abuse organizations and youth- and veteran-serving organizations, as well as individuals with lived experience. We have reviewed local data, implemented support groups and helped facilitate vital collaborations, as well as increased the number and impact of mental health and suicide prevention trainings.
Moving Forward
At the start of 2021 we convened a Board of Directors, who are working on getting ERSPC to become a registered 501 c(3) organization
One of our greatest accomplishments to date has been working with one of our partners, United Way of West Florida, to engage with the national resource, Crisis Text Line, to provide a community keyword (GULF) for the panhandle, which provides our community with another way to seek help, as well as providing us with much-needed data on mental health in our area. At the start of 2021 we convened a Board of Directors, who are working on getting ERSPC to become a registered 501 c(3) organization, as well as creating four strategic task forces focused on youth, veterans, raising awareness/educating the community and preparing for a Zero Suicide grant application, that will help reduce suicide rates through large organizations such as our local healthcare systems.
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