What is “Skills for Safer Living”?
Skills for Safer Living (SfSL) is an evidence-based, suicide intervention program for youth considering suicide and their caregivers.
The group meets once a week for a 90-minute session for four weeks. In the sessions, youth learn to build skills and capacity to help keep themselves safe. Caregivers meet in a group that takes place at the same time. In addition to building capacity in youth, the program builds the same knowledge in families/caregivers. It intends to foster a feeling of support from and among caregivers in a situation that is scary, but not hopeless.
Each week the psychoeducational/psychosocial group will cover one of the four themes:
- creating a climate of safety
- building networks
- identifying early warning signs
- developing a safety plan
The sessions are led by a combination of two facilitators that include an allied health professional and/or a peer facilitator who has lived experience. The program introduces basic language, skills, and concepts to better understand the thoughts and feelings associated with suicide and strategies to mitigate them and keep the participant as safe as possible. By the end of the program, each participant will have developed a safety plan and skills for keeping themselves safe.
While it’s preferred that youth and their caregiver participate in the program, it is possible for caregivers to attend without their youth and for youth to attend without their caregiver.
Referral Form
Please complete this form if you are interested in attending one of our Skills for Safer Living Groups. This information will help us determine which group would be the best fit for you. You will be contacted for an interview to discuss next steps and available options.
Please note that all information gathered within this referral form will be kept confidential and only accessible by trained program staff.