by Devon Green, VP of Government Relations, VAHHS
Since the legislators were all out of town last week, we’re taking a break from our regularly scheduled Legislative Update to highlight a recent report from The Pew Charitable Trusts and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Vermont was spotlighted as a leader in suicide prevention, including the Vermont Emergency Department Suicide Prevention Quality Improvement Initiative, spearheaded by the Vermont Program for Quality in Health Care. Despite dealing with several competing issues such as lack of transfers and workplace violence, our hospital emergency departments voluntarily stepped up for training and quality improvement initiatives and have made a real difference in suicide prevention.
Thank you to all of those who used their time and resources in this effort.
The report also discussed the factors promoting successful state implementation of suicide prevention in health care settings, including effective leadership buy-in, collaboration and cross-sector support, and sustained funding. As we dive into the back half of the session, VAHHS is looking to build on this model to address affordability and access in our health care system.