“JUNEAU COMMUNITY SUICIDE PREVENTION TASK FORCE” is an active coalition of mental health care providers, educators, elected officials, clergy, law enforcement and criminal justice agencies, residents, community groups, and others working together to maintain community-wide suicide awareness in Juneau. The Task Force is an all-volunteer group. Membership, involvement, and participation is open to all residents, community groups, or others with a concern about suicide in Juneau.

Task Force Mission

The “JUNEAU COMMUNITY SUICIDE PREVENTION TASK FORCE” functions to reduce the loss and suffering caused by suicide and suicidal behavior in Juneau. The Task Force offers information and education about, and assistance and support to, efforts to lessen the incidence of suicide and the stigma associated with suicide and suicide loss.

Task Force Structure

The 70 community members who make up the Task Force belong to one of five Committees. Each Committee has two Co-chairs. The ten Co-chairs along with Brendan Kiernan, Chair of the Task Force, make-up an Oversight Committee. The five committees and Co-chairs are as follows: Public Awareness, Co-chairs Gayle Trivette and Rosemary Hagevig; Children/Adolescents, Co-chairs Mary Tonsmeire and David Newton; Mental Health, Co-chairs Walter Majoros and Pam Watts;High-Risk Populations, Co-chairs Jeri Museth and Helen Kalk; Training, Co-chairs Destiny Sargeant and Ann Turner-Olsen. Each Committee develops and implements suicide prevention strategies in Juneau, and all committees consult, collaborate and coordinate these strategies with the Oversight Committee providing an overall direction and vision for the Task Force.

Task Force Objectives

● To increase understanding of the nature of suicide and suicidal behavior.

● To increase recognition of the relationship of suicide to depression and other illnesses, and to alcohol, drugs, and other substances.

● To increase knowledge of the risk factors and warning signs of suicide and high-risk groups in the Juneau Community.

● To increase development and implementation of meaningful suicide prevention plans in the Juneau Community, its’ schools and other organizations serving at-risk individuals.

● To increase capability to help and support suicidal individuals and to increase self-help for suicidal individuals in the Juneau Community.

● To increase availability and use of crisis intervention and mental health resources by suicidal individuals and those concerned about them in the Juneau Community.

Task Force Newsletters