Local organizations are banding together to prevent suicide in the greater Jacksonville community. Zero Suicide Jax is a First Coast initiative encouraging community members to educate themselves about suicide and make a commitment to help prevent it.
Leading the charge is Jacksonville-based nonprofit LSF Health Systems. The organization is asking individuals and businesses to pledge to step up and speak out.
“We’re calling upon everyday people to step up and learn the warning signs, understand how to best reach out to those who are struggling and make changes where we work,” Dr. Christine Cauffield, CEO of LSF Health Systems, said. “When we know the warning signs, we can get help for someone more quickly.”
Every 11 minutes someone in the United States takes his or her own life. The Florida Department of Health reports that St. Johns County’s suicide rate was 13.8 per 100,000 people. Duval County’s suicide rate in 2023 was slightly higher at 16.3. Florida’s state average is 14 per 100,000, proving that suicide is still a very relevant issue here at home.
The original Zero Suicide initiative was launched by the U.S. National Strategy for Suicide Prevention in 2012 with the intention of enhancing suicide care in health care systems. But this Jacksonville-specific model loops in the entire community — family, friends, colleagues, bosses, teachers and coaches.
“The first people to notice a shift in someone’s behavior are often those closest to them,” Cauffield said.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office was one of the first organizations to sign the pledge and join the movement. Every year, dozens of law enforcement officers across the country die by suicide.
In April, Sheriff TK Waters implemented a health and wellness program dedicated to coordinating mental health resources for all JSO employees and their families. It includes access to culturally competent clinicians, peer support, a chaplaincy program and more, according to Commander Randi Glossman.
“[LSF Health Systems’] emphasis on early intervention, wraparound care and community-based support mirrors JSO’s efforts to proactively address officer wellness and prevent crisis before it escalates,” Glossman said. “Taking the pledge helps normalize seeking help. It communicates to employees that asking for support is not weakness but a sign of strength.”
LSF Health Systems is inviting local businesses to take the ACT pledge, as JSO did, which involves making one or more changes in the workplace. This includes adopting company-wide trainings about suicide or creating a stigma-free process for employees to confidentially refer themselves or colleagues for suicide prevention support. Those within the company can also pledge to take on the role of peer advocate. Comment by Renay Daigle: I think you need to somehow state businesses only need to do one or more of these. You did this for Beth's story, but we should treat it a little different. Organizations don’t have to do everything all at once; it’s about actively moving in the right direction.”
Individuals are encouraged to take the personal CARES pledge. Community members essentially pledge to check for warning signs in someone they notice struggling, ask them directly if they have suicidal thoughts, reinforce that they care for this person, establish next steps for them to talk to a professional and then stay in touch.
“The businesses and individuals who are taking the pledge are committed to supporting each other,” Cauffield said. “That’s not only heartwarming, it’s likely lifesaving.”
The ultimate goal of Zero Suicide Jax is to live in a community where no one dies by suicide. While that goal is aspirational, every step taken toward it will save lives and strengthen hope.
To learn more about the initiative and take the pledge, go to ZeroSuicideJax.org.
