Joanne Fleishman

volunteer community funded by five

JOU1100

families, who lost kids to suicide and

March 30, 2015

met in a support group in 1987, grouped

The Florida Iniciative for Suicide

and started the organization that has now

Prevention, Inc.

become the Florida Initiative for Suicide

Prevention, Inc.
Since then, this community has
accomplished remarkable things in
suicide prevention in the state of
Florida. Over the last 11 years, FISP has
provided services to over 40,000
Floridians. It is an organization
dedicated to the prevention of suicide by
helping to improve those issues in

Are people concerned that every 31

society contributing to feelings of

seconds someone in the U.S. attempts

alienation, desperation, isolation,

suicide? And every 12.8 minutes

helplessness, and hopelessness through

someone in the U.S. dies by suicide? In

education, support, advocacy, and

the County of Broward according to a

research. It also offers support to all

federal survey it has the highest number

those who suffer or are considering

of teen suicides in the state of Florida.

suicide and to all those who are affected

by the suicide of a loved one, by offering

The Florida Initiative for Suicide

the alternatives of support, hope, and
Prevention, Inc. (FISP) is a non-profit

resources to all.

thankful that god gave me a second

Rosen as the Executive Director/CEO of

chance to enjoy thanks to them

FISP has helped on that council since its

foundation and assisted with the State
Suicide Prevention Strategy. In order to
reduce the suicide rate in Florida various
agencies and organizations have been
cooperating also to implement the
Florida State Suicide Prevention
Strategy through education, legislate and
create programs to reduce this terrifying
rate. The Statistics from the Florida
Bureau of Vital Statistics Annual Vital
Statistics Reports that 8 Floridians die by
suicide each day.
Maria Camacho, one of the volunteers
and survivor who was interviewed by
Joanne Fleishman on February 18, 2015
at 4:30pm said Not only because of the
professional help, but also because of
everyone involved in there and all the
people you meet make you realize that
life is precious and I am extremely

The FISP supports the Legislation and

Better Mental Health Service to Prevent
Suicide in Florida, as a member of the
Florida Suicide Prevention Coalition and
the Florida State Suicide Prevention
Coordinating Council. FISP meets their
needs by including support groups,
Referrals, Survivor packages, Survivor
conferences and even Phone support in a
suicidal prevention hotline 24 Hrs, 7
days a week. In the last 12 months, FISP
has educated 565 people at suicide
prevention presentations, supported 200
survivors of suicide, and increased our
Survivors support groups from 3 to 5.

One of the programs is called the SUN

a community; it also becomes a second

Program that has from 140 teens and 40

home for people

adults and supports teens. FISPs

innovative organization with the Prestige

Suicide is a topic that infrequently gets

Club allowed us to provide 150 school

covered in the media. Many news outlets

kids with FISPs six-week in-school

have policies that limit their reportage.

program that educates problem solving,

These limits are based on the concept

coping, communication skills, bullying,

that broadcasting suicide and stories can

drug prevention, and anger management

lead to more suicides followed by the

as part of the Hoot Camp Program.

Suicide contagion effect. According to

the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), "All studies looking
at the sensational reporting of a suicide
show that such reporting increases the
risk of contagion, or copycat suicide. As
approximately 10 percent of suicides in
the U.S. are associated with a contagion
event, education of reporters in all media
is essential to decreasing suicide rates."

Maria Camachos response to what she

In addition, in the Internet which is a

thinks about the program FISP when she

type of media, there are loads of

was interviewed by Joanne Fleishman

information that explains how to identify

was Wow, I think that FISP is not only

individuals at excessive danger of

suicide, or offers information about risk

people such as FISP located in the

factors for suicide and communities for

Broward County.

suicidal prevention that help and support