The LOSS Team and the Survivors

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S., and the number of deaths by suicide continues to rise annually. Currently, very few counties offer resources or follow up with families affected by suicide. A practical solution to that need is Local Outreach for Suicide Survivors (LOSS). LOSS is an Active Postvention Model (APM) that focuses on the newly bereaved families after a suicide. The goal of LOSS is to connect volunteer survivors with the newly bereaved survivors on the scene of a suicide and place resources in their hands as well as be a peer support. The purpose of this action is to decrease the time between death and seeking help, ultimately reducing any unnecessary suffering. The LOSS ideology focuses on using postvention as a form of prevention for families affected by suicides. Suicides can be contagious, and this program helps to protect and connect the newly bereaved to other survivors. Currently, in Preble County, Ohio, families do not have any resources or support available to them related to postvention care after experiencing suicide. This project aims to facilitate the initiation of a LOSS team in Preble County that would respond to the scene of suicides to support the families. The hopeful outcome for implementing a LOSS Team would be for families to feel that the LOSS team brought them hope and was a significant part of their recovery in the crucial period after their loved one\u27s death. Through LOSS team training, it is clear how beneficial this APM is for families and their healing. A team in Preble County has been formed, trained in the LOSS team model, and is in the final phases of preparing before implementation begins within the community