RTTUZYUW RUEWMCS0000 1601848-UUUU--RUCRNAD. ZNR UUUUU R 091848Z JUN 11 FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// TO NAVADMIN INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// BT UNCLAS//N06520// NAVADMIN 178/11 MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/JUN// SUBJ/SUICIDE PREVENTION QUARTERLY UPDATE// REF/A/DOC/OPNAV/04AUG09// REF/B/DOC/OPNAV/22DEC09// REF/C/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/231556ZAPR09// NARR/REF A IS OPNAVINST 1720.4A, WHICH ESTABLISHED THE NAVY SUICIDE PREVENTION PROGRAM AND DIRECTED COLLECTION OF DATA ON NAVY SUICIDES. REF B, OPNAVINST F3100.6J, AND REF C, NAVADMIN 122/09, DIRECTED THE REPORTING OF SUICIDES AND SUICIDE-RELATED BEHAVIORS VIA THE OPREP-3 REPORTING SYSTEM.// RMKS/1. THIS YEAR SO FAR, NEARLY 700 TROUBLED SAILORS WERE REACHED BY A SHIPMATE, FAMILY MEMBER OR LEADER WHO REMEMBERED TO "ACT": (A-ASK THE QUESTION, C-CARE AND HELP THE PERSON FIND T-TREATMENT). THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING A SHIPMATE IN NEED. 2. REGRETTABLY, THOUGH, IN THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF 2011, WE LOST 24 SHIPMATES TO SUICIDE. OUR COLLECTIVE SYMPATHY GOES OUT TO THOSE WHO ARE PERSONALLY GRIEVING THE LOSS OF A FRIEND OR COLLEAGUE TO SUICIDE. WHILE THE NATION DEPENDS ON US TO DEPLOY AROUND THE WORLD, CHALLENGES AT HOME ADD ADDITIONAL STRAIN AND GREATER STRESS NOT ONLY ON FAMILIES BUT ALSO ON SAILORS AND THEIR UNITS. ONCE IN THE PSYCHOLOGICAL TUNNEL OF SUICIDAL THINKING, IT IS DIFFICULT FOR THOSE IN CRISIS TO SEE THEIR WAY OUT. IT REMAINS AS IMPORTANT AS EVER TO MAINTAIN VIGILANCE AND BE PREPARED TO ACT TO HELP A SHIPMATE. 3. IT IS EASIER TODAY TO GRAB A LIFELINE WHEN IN CRISIS. EVERY NAVY HOMEPAGE NOW HAS A DIRECT LIFELINE LINK TO A LIVE CHAT STAFFED BY VETERANS AFFAIRS (VA) PROFESSIONALS. WE SHOULD ADD THE NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE NUMBER - 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) TO OUR PHONES AND OUR FAMILY MEMBER'S PHONES ALONG WITH OTHER EMERGENCY NUMBERS THAT ARE STORED FOR QUICK ACCESS. JUST LIKE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS AND FLOTATION DEVICES, THESE PHONE AND INTERNET CHAT LINKS CAN BE LIFE SAVING TOOLS IF THEY ARE READY AND AVAILABLE WHEN HELP MAY NOT BE PHYSICALLY OR EMOTIONALLY WITHIN REACH OR WHEN WE SEEK EXPERT SUPPORT TO BETTER HELP A SHIPMATE IN NEED. 4. A NEW COMMANDER'S TOOLKIT FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION AND RESPONSE IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD OR WEB VIEWING AT WWW.SUICIDE.NAVY.MIL. THIS PRACTICAL COLLECTION OF GUIDANCE, CHECK LISTS, AND TEMPLATE MATERIALS WILL ASSIST COMMANDS WITH ASSESSING AND DIRECTING UNIT EFFORTS TO SAVE LIVES AND SUPPORT THOSE AFFECTED BY A TRAGEDY. 5. FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO WWW.SUICIDE.NAVY.MIL AND WWW.NAVYNAVSTRESS.COM. 6. POINT OF CONTACT IS LCDR BONNIE CHAVEZ, OPNAV N135F, (901) 874-6613/DSN 882, OR E-MAIL BONNIE.CHAVEZ(AT)NAVY.MIL. 7. RELEASED BY VADM MARK FERGUSON, N1.// BT #0000 NNNN