2002

* Joseph O’Neil, MD, a Developmental Pediatrician at Riley Hospital for Children becomes a Special Advisor to the Partnership.

* Data is now routinely and systematically provided by Marion County Coroner, IPD, and Wishard, Methodist and Riley Hospitals for the Partnership’s data surveillance system.

* The database to house the data is refined and a system to link the data and to avoid duplicating cases is established.

* The Partnership along with the Indiana State Department of Health release a data report that provides an epidemiological perspective of the suicides in Indiana for the years 1996-1999.

* Partnership staff review the training manual for the National Violent Death Reporting system, in conjunction with Harvard School of Public Health and the Medical College of Wisconsin.

* The Partnership organizes and hosts an educational meeting on suicide prevention that is held at Methodist Hospital. Local and Regional experts provide presentations to over 100 attendees.

* The Partnership provides lectures on firearm injury prevention and the physician’s role to the physicians from the Department of Family Medicine and the Department of Psychiatry at IU as well to school psychologists at their statewide meeting.

* The Partnership develops a speaker’s kit at the request of Lake County Sheriff’s Department for their use in community education efforts to reduce gun violence.

* The Partnership’s educational brochures are translated into Spanish for ongoing distribution to the public.

* The Partnership helps establish a statewide suicide prevention coalition. Partnership staff chair the committee assigned to write the state plan for suicide prevention.

* The Partnership hosts it’s third annual meeting sponsored by Clarian Health, entitled, “Suicide Prevention: a Call to Action.” Keynote speakers include David Litts, OD, Special Advisor to the US Surgeon General for Suicide Prevention and Alan Berman, PhD, Executive Director of the American Association of Suicidology.

* The Partnership collaborates with a national campaign encouraging newspapers to stop accepting classified ads from private individuals wanting to sell guns. A press conference was held in Indianapolis which yielded significant media attention.

* The Partnership assists in the development of a curriculum for use in the Marion County Juvenile Court. The program is court-ordered for youth between the ages of 12 and 15 who have displayed delinquent behavior and emphasizes conflict resolution in hopes of discouraging youth from further violent activities.

* Patricia Lau resigns as administrative director of the Partnership to move to Nevada. Heather McCabe is hired on a part-time basis to assist with Partnership activities.

* Initial three-year funding from the Joyce Foundation ends and a two–year renewal grant from the Joyce Foundation is awarded.