Florida Initiative For Suicide Prevention

About Us - signs of Suicide and Facts - Events - FISP Newsletter - Legislative Speaking - Research Links

Support Groups - Survivors Notes - Feedback - FISP SUN Program - Donations and Sponsors - Contact us

ABOUT US

WHAT FISP IS ALL ABOUT

FISP is a not-for-profit 501(c) 3 ALL VOLUNTEER organization. Our funding is acquired

through Membership Dues, Grants, Sponsorships, Fundraising Events and Donations.

Our mission is the Prevention of Suicide. The following statistics demonstrate the urgency

and magnitude of

the need to focus on this mission.

DID YOU KNOW ?

S Worldwide over 1,000,000 people die each year by suicide.

S The CDC's most recent report shows the largest One-Year Increase in Youth Suicide

Rate in 15 Years

S Suicide takes the lives of over 2,400 Floridians and 32,000 Americans each year.

S In 2004, there were 2,382 reported suicide deaths in Florida.

S In Broward County Florida the youngest documented child to complete suicide was 9 years

of age.

S Florida has the 2nd highest number of suicides in the Nation and ranks #13 highest

rate of all the states [2001].

S Florida has more than two times the number of suicides than homicides or deaths by

HIV/AIDS.

S Every 43 seconds someone in the U.S. attempts suicide; Every 17 minutes someone

in the U.S. dies by suicide.

S For every single completed suicide there are at least 25 attempts!

S Each person who dies by suicide leaves behind an average of eight loved ones or

survivors, not to mention friends, co-workers, schoolmates and religious affiliates

These figures tell why our mission is so very urgent here in the state of Florida and throughout

the United States. In an effort to prevent suicide, FISP strives to accomplish our mission to

Prevent Suicide by Educating Professionals and the Public, Providing Prevention

Programs, Advocating for Mental Health Legislation and Supporting Survivors of Suicide.

(A survivor is a person who has lost a loved one to suicide.)

See the the Suicide Facts page for the Florida Initiative For Suicide Prevention

20 DEPRESSION AND SUICIDAL WARNING SIGNS

The following programs which FISP provides to our community are the reasons why we have

become such an important part of the suicide prevention effort in our state.

Now the Florida Initiative for Suicide Prevention, Inc. is now also the

FLORIDA INITIATIVE FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS

Providing the FISP SUN Programs

FISP SUN Prevention Programs include:

The FISP Teen " Solutions Unlimited Now" SUN Problem Solving Program

At locations In cooperation with:

The YMCA at Lauderhill Middle School

The YMCA in Hollywood

The Broward County Juvenile Justice Detention Center

The Broward County Juvenile Justice Probation Department

The Florida Ocean Sciences Institute

The SOS Children's Village

Hispanic Unity of Florida

LEAF - A Residential Detention Facility for Girls

The NEW FISP Adam Silverman College SUN Program

Soon to be on College Campuses in the South Florida Area

In partnership with Hillel of Palm Beach and Broward Counties

The FISP SUNSHINE Club Problem Solving and Support Program for the Elderly

in partnership with the Broward County Elderly and Veterans Services Division

Prevention Trainings and Presentations:

Area on Aging Inter Faith Conference

Broward County Foster Parents

Broward County Court Appointed Guardian ad Litem for Children

Broward County Schools for Students and Teachers

Crisis Intervention Trainings for Dade and Broward County

Cypress Bay High School

Drug Free Youth In Town

Fresh Start

Florida International University

Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies

Miami Children's Hospital

Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA)

FOMA, Florida Osteopathic Medical Association

Palm Beach Middle School Students

Police Departments Dade and Broward including Broward Sheriffs Department

Pompano Beach Fire Department Teen Program

University of Miami Law School

Youth Crime Watch National Convention

Survivor Support Programs:

Survivor Support Groups in four locations: (See survivor page)

Davie, Hallendale Beach and Hollywood

FISP Annual Survivor of Suicide Day Conference

Telephone referrals and written material packages

Support Legislation:

Voting Member of the State Suicide Prevention Coordination Council

Promoting Statewide legislation to support programs to reduce suicide

Promoting funding for suicide research and education

Promoting better medical services for the mentally ill

Support Mental Health Programs through Collaboration:

Sponsor and Program Coordinator of the Broward-Palm Beach

Bi-County Suicide Prevention Through Mental Wellness Day

Please do not hesitate. Call our office to get more information. Join FISP now and

help meet our state's goal to reduce suicide in Florida by one third by 2010. Become

involved in this urgent mission to Prevent Suicide Now!

Contact Jackie Rosen, Executive Director/CEO (954) 384-0344

Who’s on the Board at FISP:

Jackie Rosen, Executive Director/CEO.

Officers

Harry M. Rosen, Esq., Chairman

Ruden McClosky Law Firm

Former Mayor of Miramar and Weston

Joseph M. Steinman, Membership V.P.

Former CEO of Trimline Sales

Judi Robaina, Ways and Means V. P.

Activist in Area Charity Organizations

Dawn Holcomb, Secretary

Ruden McClusky Law Firm

Helen Weil, SUN Program Coordinator

Founder and Director of Training Program for the Mentally Ill

Former Associate Director Program for Emotionally Disturbed Children

Board Members:

Michelle Channing, Psy.D

Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Judge Mathew Destry

Broward County Circut Criminal Court

Chris Holcomb- Publicity Chair

Community Activist for those with Catastrophic Injuries

Wayne House, President/CEO

United Video & Teleconference Center

S. Elizabeth Kortlander, Ph.D

Licensed Psychologist

Frederick Lippman, B.Sc., R.Ph., Ed.D.
Chancellor

Health Professions Division.

Nova Southeastern University

jAMES McDonnell

President / CEO

Pro Lab & Windmill Adv.

Louis M. Reidenberg, Esq.

Pamela Westberg-Reidenberg

Vitas

Judge Ginger LERNER-WREN

Broward County Mental-Health Judge

Rev. Robert W Sands,

Griffin Road Baptist Church

Sands Communications, Inc.

Silvana A. Savio, M.S,M.F.T

Marriage and Family Therapist

Sen. Ronald A. Silver

38th District, The Florida Senate

Judge Arlene J. Simon

Department of Juvenile Justice Office of General Counsel

Legal Coordinator - Juvenile Delinquency and Children in Nee Services. (CINS)

Austin W. Tupler

Austin Tupler Trucking, Inc.

Helen Weil

SUN Program Coordinator

Polly Wilkie

Vice President with Community Bank of Broward

Prestige Club, President

Lila Zedeck

Community Activist

Murray Zedeck, D.O.

Chairman, TransCapital Bank

Chairman and Professor (ret), Dept. of Community Medicine of Southeastern College of

Osteopathic Medicine Member of "Broward Beautiful" Advisory Board to Broward County

Commission Former Chairman, Broward County Housing Finance Authorit

Honorary Board Members

Rene Barrett, FISP Founding Executive Director

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FISP ANNOUNCES NEW BOARD MEMBERS

ELECTED TO FISP BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Judge Mathew Destry

FISP SUN PROGRAM

“SOLUTIONS UNLIMITED NOW”

The FISP SUN Program: "Solutions Unlimited Now” for Adolescents,

College Students and The FISP SUNSHINE CLUB Program Model adapted

for Senior Citizens:

FISP provides the structured group counseling model SUN Problem Solving

Program to groups of teens and college students in partnership with area

organizations at no cost to the organization or the student. This ten step ten week

program is facilitated by a mental health professional in confidential groups of

eight to ten participants. It is funded strictly through donations, sponsorships

and grants. We have been very successful at providing SUN to hundreds of

children in YMCA after school programs, teens in the Broward County Juvenile

Justice system both in the Broward Detention facility, the LEAF residential girls

facility and teens on probation as part of their community service obligations.

Additionally we have serviced Hispanic Unity of Florida in Hollywood and SOS

Children's Village in Coconut Creek.

SUN was originally developed by professor Judith S. Tellerman, Ph.D. in Chicago.

FISP brought SUN to South Florida four years ago after sponsoring research to verify it's

effectiveness. Through continual research FISP has continued to improve and developed

enhancements to the program. In keeping with this effort, FISP announces our collaboration

with Nova Southeastern University School of Psychology and it's Director of the

Assessment and Consultation Center (SPACC) Dr. Ralph E. Cash. This partnership

is for the purpose of furthering our research and evaluation of the FISP SUN Program

enabling us to continue to enhance and improve SUN effectiveness. The findings suggest

that the SUN model has an ability to produce remarkable results in terms of improved

cognitive decision-making and social skills in both troubled and normative teens and

pre-teens.

SUN is a very flexible program that can be adapted and utilized with any age group.

This adaptability has allowed FISP to develop additional groups in partnership with many

agencies. This expansion has included our SUNSHINE Club for the elderly in partnership

with the Health and Human Services Elderly and Veteran’s Department in Broward County.

FISP will be starting groups at their facility in December of 2006. The newly funded

Adam Silverman Memorial College SUN groups are in developmentas well. A

partnership will be developed with several area colleges to provide referrals to groups

on their campuses. FISP expects to constantly expand and improve our SUN based

programs with the help of Nova Southeastern University’s continuous research which will

provide data and constant improvement in all the FISP SUN based programs.

The feeling of belonging, acceptance and safety of having a confidential peer and adult

support system can effectively help the 27.3 percent of Florida’s high school students in

grades nine through eleven that experienceddepression in 2005. It can give the 14.5% of

that 27.3 %, who seriously considered suicide and the 11.6% who made a suicide plan the

confidence in themselves to the stay alive. The alarming statistic showing 108.5% of youth

in the Hispanic community as being depressed and 17.6% having made a plan to accomplish

suicide shows the urgent need in immigrant communities. Suicide is the 5th leading cause

of death for youths 5-14 and the 3rd leading cause of death for youths 15-24. Data collected

by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that suicide emerges as

a significant problem during the high school years, increases among young adults

20–24 years of age, and continues to increase marginally over thenext two decades

of life.

Help FISP continue this disparately needed program through

donations and sponsorships.

HELP OUR TEENS, COLLEGE STUDENTS AND SENIORS LIVE MORE

SUCCESSFULLY!

SPONSOR A FISP “Solutions Unlimited Now”

☼ SUN GROUP ☼

HELP THEM ALL LEARN HOW TO SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS!

YOUR CONTRIBUTION WILL HELP THEM ALL learn how to BETTER

HANDLE THEIR DECISIONS AND BE A MORE PRODUCTIVE AND SUCCESSFUL.

The groups are structured to enable the teens to help themselves and each other

learn how to find and implement well thought out solutions to their problems. Each

group is facilitated by a SUN trained mental health professional, who use various

modalities to help the group progress.

Groups include:

♦ 8 to 10 Participants

♦ 10 Weekly Group Meetings

♦ SUN Trained Adult Mental Health Professional Group Facilitator

♦ All Program Materials

♦ Completion Party and Completion Certificate

♦ Group Research Data by Nova Southeastern University

I would like to Sponsor

____ $250 One Teen, College Student or Senior in a group

____ $500 Two Teens, College Students or Seniors in a group

____ $1,250 Five Teens, College Students or Seniors in a group

____ $2,500 One Complete Group of 10 Teens, College Students or Seniors

mail checks to address below made payable to:

FISP

2645 Executive Park Drive

Weston, FL 33331

I have enclosed a check in the amount of $ .

Charge to Visa ______ Master Card ______ American Express ______

Card#___________________ Expiration Date: _________

Signature: _____________________________________

HELP FISP HELP TEENS, COLLEGE STUDENTS, SENIORS AND

SURVIVORS LIVE HEALTHIER, HAPPIER MORE

SUCCESSFUL LIVES!

Join us at our 2009

ANNUAL DINNER DANCE

"Take a Cruise with FISP"

Honoring

Chancellor of Nova Southeastern University's

Health Professions Division

DR. FRED LIPPMAN

with the FISP Humanitarian Award

Friday, March 13, 2009

Seven o’clock in the evening

The Signature Grand

6900 State Road #84

Davie, Florida

Cocktail Reception...Dinner...Dancing…Silent Auction

Featuring Entertainment and

Music for dancing and your listening pleasure

By the 11 piece Band

The Five Boroughs

Supporter: $100 Life Saver: $150

per person per person

Please respond by April 27, 2009

President Ways and Means Executive Director

Harry Rosen Judi Robaina Jackie Rosen

Host Committee Dinner Dance 2008

Senator Nan Rich & Mr. David Rich

Rep. & Mrs. Martin Kiar

Rep. & Mrs. Frankin & Mrs. Leslie Sands

Broward County Commissioner Diana Wasserman-Rubin

& Mr. Richard Rubin

Mayor & Mrs. Eric Hersh

Commissioner & Mrs. Murray Chermak

Commissioner Angel & Stephanie Gomez

Commissioner Mercedes & Mr. Otto Hendricksson

Commissioner and Mrs. Daniel Stermer

School Board Chair Robin & Mr. John Bartleman

Barry & Lexie Cohen

Eli & Mona Habib

Murray & Sheri Geffin

Byron & Beth Jaffe

Paul & Rochelle Konig

John & Monique Pepper

Laurie Rich-Levenson

Louie & Judi Robaina

Harry & Jackie Rosen

Gavin & Sue Susman

Ann Zucker

2009 FISP ROCKS Dance Committee

Chair Judi Robaina

RUTH BETTINI

Rosalind Burd

Lexie Cohen

Mary Ann Frame

Mona habib

Rina Keshen

Cynthia Kline

Ellen Korman

Candy Norton

Jamie Pierce

Pan Reidenberg

Karen Saster

D'vorah Silverstein

Joy Werman

Lisa Werner

Elsa Zoberg

Sponsor Opportunities

£ Save-A- LIFE- Four tables of (10) & Event Sponsorship Award..............$10,000

Newspaper Publicity and Journal Front Cover

£ LIFESAVER- Three Tables of Ten (10) & Center Two (2) Pages………....$ 7,500

£ LIFE PRESERVER- Two Table of Ten & Outside Back Cover Page……$ 5,000

£ Table of Ten & Inside Front or Back Cover Page.…..............................$ 2,500 Front sold

£ LIFEGUARD- Table of Ten & One inside Page……………………….…...$ 1,500

£ LIFELINE- Table of Tens & 1/2 Page…………………………………......….$ 1,000

£ HELPING HAND- Four (4) Tickets & 1/4 Page………………………….…. $ 500

* Available on “first come” basis * Advertising deadline March 20, 2007

“Dance at the Love IN” AD SIZES & RATES

£ Full Page - 5-1/2 x 8-1/2……………………………………………..$ 500

£ Half Page – 5-1/2 x 4-1/4…………………………………………….$ 300

£ One Third Page – 5-1/2 x 2-7/8………………………………….….$250

£ One Quarter Page- 5-1/2 x 2-1/8…………………………………...$125

£ Business Card……………………………………………………….$100

£ One Eighth Page- 2-3/4 x 2-1/8…………………………………....$ 50

£ One line on Supporter Page......................................................$ 25

* Available on “first come” basis * Advertising deadline April 5, 2006

Please make checks to FISP and mail to

FISP

C/o Harry M. Rosen, President

1253 Manor Drive South

Weston, Florida 33331

Or charge to MasterCard____ Visa____ American Express____

Please include the following information

Acct #: ___________________Expiration Date: __________Zip Code of Billing Address______

Name: ___________________________________ Signature: ______________________________

Please Print

Phone: __________________________________ Email: __________________________________

Advertising or Special Message: _____________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

FISP is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit all volunteer corporation registered with the State of Florida

Eye On FISP:

FISP thanks the Broward County School Board their support by hosting FISP's Annual

Survivors of Suicide Day Conference on November 19th 2006. Thank you Board member

and Conference Chair Arlene Simon for working to make this Day of Healing for Survivors a

success.

FISP thanks the Children's Services Council of Broward, the YMCA, Eli Lilly the

Broward County School District, the Broward County Juvenile Justice System, and the

Coral Springs Community Chest for their support of our SUN Program.

Thank you to all our volunteers that make the FISP programs possible.

Survivor’s Notes:

This section will expand for those loved ones who have survived a suicide, and for those

who have attempted suicide, to recount their stories. By telling your stories, you will be able

to help those who have experienced the trauma and can benefit to know that they are not

alone. For those contemplating suicide, your stories may give them the second option they

need to reach out for help. And for others, it may just alert them to the warning signs of those

around them. feel free to contact the editor to submit your stories at fisp@earthlink.net

or Fax to (954) 384-7988.

How you can help?
Help us by working together to provide programs to our community.

You can help by:

R Become a member of FISP.

Members receive:

The FISP newsletter - "The Initiative"

A Membership Card and Prevention Pin

Invitations to all Events

Brochures explaining our Programs

Dues are $35.00 annually

Mail to:

FISP

2645 Executive Park Drive

Weston, Florida 33331

(954) 384-0344

R Donating your time.

R Donating money to our Programs.

R Attending our events.

R Sponsoring our events.

R Sponsoring a child in the SUN Program

call our office for volunteer opportunities (954) 384-0344 and help us prevent

more families from experiencing the pain of losing a loved one to suicide.