In 2001, Detroit’s Henry Ford Health System set out to radically transform its mental health care delivery system with an audacious goal — eliminating suicide. The “zero suicide” initiative is an approach developed by today’s guest, psychiatrist Dr. Ed Coffey. Dr. Coffey’s approach aims to prevent suicides by creating a more open environment for people to talk about suicidal thoughts and then encouraging and enabling others to help them. It particularly aims to reach people who have not been reached through previous initiatives and to address gaps in existing behavioral health services. Almost unbelievably, his approach has indeed achieved dramatic and sustained reductions in patient suicide, including no suicides in some years throughout the 100,000 patient Henry Ford Health System. As a result “zero suicide” has become a worldwide movement, including here in New Mexico. So please join host Stephen Spitz and Dr. Ed Coffey, MD, as we talk about how to eliminate suicides. Produced with assistance of Jefferson White and Lynn Schibeci.
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