Plan for Development of Final Strategies and SMART* Objectives

The COVID-19 pandemic has delayed the work on the action plans for each of the priority areas of the SHIP.  Initial work was done by a planning team for this priority area that met in 2019-2020 to come up with initial strategy ideas and potentail measures for the work to be done both at a statewide level and by the Arkansas Department of Health. A workgroup that will be created in 2022 will build on the work of the planning team and formulate an action plan for this priority area that will include statewide strategies and performance measures. The workgroup will identify and communicate with relevant partners, oversee implementation, monitor progress. and provide regular reports. . 

*A SMART objective is one that is SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE, ACHIEVABLE, RELEVANT, AND TIME-BOUND.

The strategies, performance measures, and action plan will be added to the Scorecard once developed by the workgroup.

To be determined by the workgroup.

Workgroup Members

To be determined by the workgroup.

To be determined by the workgroup.

• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
• Arkansas Children’s
• AR Department of Health
• Arkansas Department of Veteran Affairs
• AR Minority Health Commission
• Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System
• Suicide Prevention Partners
• University of Arkansas at Little Rock-Midsouth

A healthy mental state is essential to overall positive health and well-being. In some cases, poor mental health may lead to suicide. Frequent mental distress is associated with smoking, physical inactivity, housing insecurity, food insecurity and insufficient sleep. 

Mental health disorders and substance use disorders are the most significant risk factors for suicidal behaviors. In addition, environmental factors such as stressful life events and access to lethal means such as firearms or drugs may increase the risk of suicide. Previous suicide attempts and a family history of suicide are also important risk factors.

Suicide is when someone dies by intentionally hurting themselves. Death from suicide is the leading injury-related cause of death in Arkansas. In 2017, more than 600 Arkansans died from suicide. The most common means of suicide are from firearms, suffocation, and poisoning. The chart below shows the rates of suicide in Arkansas are consistently higher when compared to the United States.

Unfortunately, the rates of suicide in Arkansas are increasing. Over the last 10 years, the number of people who died from suicide went from 447 in 2008 to 631 in 2017.

https://www.americashealthrankings.org/explore/annual/measure/Suicide/state/ALL

https://www.americashealthrankings.org/explore/annual/measure/mental_distress

SHA 2020