It’s one thing to devote your life to researching and teaching suicide
prevention. It’s another to be directly involved with individuals in crisis.
The late John Kalafat did both, and his 40-year career has left a legacy
reminding us of the importance of suicide prevention and crisis intervention.
Screening for Mental Health (SMH), Inc. became the first-ever recipient of the
John Kalafat Award in Applied Community Psychology: The Community Program
Award, which is one of only two awards offered by the Society for Community
Research and Action, a division of the American Psychological Association. At
SCRA’s 12th Biennial Conference, the Community Program Award was
given to SMH’s SOS Signs of Suicide® Prevention Program, which aims
to raise awareness of depression and educate middle and high school students on
how to respond to the signs of suicide in others.
Candice Porter, MSW, LICSW, Youth Program Manager at SMH, accepted the award on
SMH’s behalf. “John Kalafat’s wife, Anne, presented the award to me, which was
an honor,” says Porter. “She is committed to carrying out her husband’s mission
and currently manages a website dedicated to his work.” Before he passed away
in 2007, Kalafat worked to integrate the principles and research of community
psychology with their practical applications, from authoring books on youth
suicide to co-founding a crisis counseling center. “The mission of the SOS
program aligns so well with Kalafat’s own mission,” says Porter. “Our program
is dedicated to enhancing a school community’s capacity to provide knowledge
and support around suicide and depression, utilizing resources already in
existence. I know we would have made Dr. Kalafat proud.”
The SOS program was selected based on the following criteria from the SCRA:
“This award will honor programs or initiatives that demonstrate a positive
impact on groups or communities as validated by program evaluation; build
foundational bridges between theory, research, and improving the world, and/or
demonstrate excellence in integrating training and program development in
crisis intervention.”
The main teaching tool of the SOS programs is a DVD that shows youth how to
identify symptoms of depression and suicidality. Accompanying the DVD is a
discussion guide that can be implemented by school staff. The programs’ primary
objectives are to educate youth that depression is a treatable illness and to
equip them to respond using the ACT® model (Acknowledge,
Care, Tell). The SOS program can also be used in alternative
settings serving youth, such as social clubs, after-school programs, and
juvenile justice systems.
“SOS is the first school-based suicide prevention program to show a reduction in
suicidal behavior in a randomized controlled study,” says Porter, who oversees
both the SOS Signs of Suicide Prevention Program and the new Signs of
Self-Injury Prevention Program. “Plus, the high school program was selected by
SAMSHA for its National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices that
addresses knowledge and attitudes about suicide and depression, while reducing
suicide attempts.”
For more information or to register for the SOS Signs of Suicide Prevention
Program, visit
www.mentalhealthscreening.org/schools. To learn more about John
Kalafat’s inspiring legacy, go to
www.johnkalafat.com.