mental health resources
General mental health information
national suicide & Crisis Lifeline
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a 24-hour, toll-free suicide prevention service available to anyone in suicidal crisis. If you or someone you know needs support now – reach out for assistance.
Call or Text - 988 or Chat 988lifeline.org
inmate crisis line
The purpose of the Crisis Line is to provide a mechanism for inmates and family/friends/attorneys/etc. interacting with inmates to inform YesCare of inmates in need of immediate intervention. The Crisis Line is available 24/7, 365 days a year.
1-870-YES-CARE
warning Signs & SYMPTOMS suicide
STRESS
The potential for suicide is greater if the individual is subject to stress from increased pressures such as, but not limited to:
difficulties in coping with legal problems;
the loss of a loved one through death or divorce;
the loss of valued employment (high paying position in Correctional Industries [CI]);
anniversary of incarceration date or offense;
serious illnesses or diagnosis of terminal illness;
threats or perceived threats from peers;
sexual victimization;
unexpected punishment (additional sentence or parole denial);
recent transfer from another state or county facility;
recently returned to prison due to a parole violation;
long sentence coupled with poor external supports (family or volunteers) and/or minimal involvement in facility supports (education, treatment, activities, and employment);
somatic complaints of a vague nature that do not respond to treatment;
history of violence toward others;
requesting protective custody;
deemed to be a “high profile” case;
long sentence, including life;
history of alcohol and/or drug abuse; and/or
The potential for suicide is greater if a parent, spouse, or other close relative has attempted or committed
SYMPTOMS
The potential for suicide is greater if the individual manifests symptoms such as:
auditory and/or visual hallucinations, particularly command hallucinations ordering the person to harm himself/herself;
delusions;
any change from the individual’s sleep pattern (this may be manifested by either a decrease or increase in sleep);
any change from the individual’s ordinary eating pattern. (This may be manifested by either a decrease or an increase in the individual’s appetite with an accompanied decrease or increase in weight);
social withdrawal;
apathy;
despondency;
severe feelings of hopelessness and helplessness;
general attitude of physical and emotional exhaustion;
agitation through such symptoms as tension, guilt, shame, poor impulse control or feelings of rage, anger, hostility, or revenge;
giving away personal property;
removal of every visitor from the visiting list;
changing next of kin notifications;
expressions of death or finality (i.e. “it will all be better tomorrow” or “the world is better off without me”);
frequent engagements in self-injurious behaviors and/or serious suicide attempts;
sudden elevated mood (“everything’s OK attitude”); and/or
psychic or somatic anxiety.
PERSONAL RESOURCES
The potential for suicide is greater if the person has no family or friends, or his/her family and friends are unwilling to help. Potential is greater if a significant other evidences a defensive, rejecting, punishing attitude, or denies that the individual needs help.
MEDICAL STATUS
The potential for suicide is greater when there is a chronic, debilitating illness, especially when it involves an alteration of body image or life style. A person considering suicide does not demonstrate all of these signals. Generally, the more characteristics the individual has, the greater the potential for self-destruction. Every suicide attempt, including gestures, should be taken seriously.
ACUTE V. CHRONIC
The potential for suicide is greater when there is a sudden onset of specific symptoms. An individual who has recently learned that he/she has a serious disorder is at greater risk than a person who has been coping with the problem for years. The acute risk is higher if the person appears anxious.
SAMHSA RESEARCH & PUBLICATIONS
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has a list of publications and research that surrounds suicide and mental health resources, research and publications.
county prevention specialists
Injury and Violence Prevention Program
The mission of the Wyoming Injury & Violence Prevention Program (WIVPP) is to coordinate state and local efforts to prevent unintentional and intentional injury and violence through public awareness, training, and system change.
Resources for Inmates & Their Families
Inmate Crisis Line
1-870-YES-CARE
WDOC contracts with an outside organization to provide medical services for inmates. The current contractor, YesCare, has developed an inmate Crisis Line. The YesCare Crisis Line (1-870-YES-CARE) is free for all callers and is available for all inmates housed in WDOC facilities. The purpose of the Crisis Line is to provide a mechanism for inmates and family/friends/attorneys/etc. interacting with inmates to inform YesCare of inmates in need of immediate intervention. The Crisis Line is available 24/7, 365 days a year.
Calls will be answered by YesCare’s third-party vendor, ProtoCall, who will triage all calls. ProtoCall’s experienced licensed clinical call takers will complete clinical assessments and interventions and make routine, urgent, and emergent referrals to YesCare staff. Urgent/Emergent Calls referred through the Crisis Line will be promptly screened and YesCare’s on-call staff will ensure there is immediate intervention.
Types of incidents that may be reported to the Crisis Line include, but are not limited to, the following:
Moderate to serious risk related to impairment in functional status, substance abuse, or risk of harm (to self or others)
Serious depression with thoughts of self-harm, psychosis (delusions, hallucinations, disorganization), mania (without suicidal ideations)
Incidents of suicide ideations with or without a plan
Self-injurious behaviors
Devastating news
Unexpected, disappointing news from court/lengthy sentence
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
In the event that an incident is reported to the Crisis Line that is unrelated to the mental and behavioral health of inmates, this information will be reported to WDOC staff. Calls to the Crisis Line are automatically recorded by Protocol. Every caller is informed their call may be recorded and why before the conversation is opened. ProtoCall uses a Secure HiTRUST-certified HIPAA-compliant platform.
This service is only available to inmates housed at the five (5) WDOC facilities and it is not available to any contracted facilities such as the Casper Reentry Center: Therapeutic Community or the Adult Community Corrections Centers (ACC). Offenders at the ACCs may call the national suicide hotline (988) which will connect them to local resources.
Resources for WDOC Staff & their Families
THE PAIN BEHIND THE BADGE
COP 2 COP
Law enforcement clinicians, peer counselors and peer supporters understand, listen and want to help – 24-hours a day/7-days a week.
If you are feeling depressed, helpless, overwhelmed, weak, withdrawn, suicidal, emotionally and physically exhausted from a traumatic incident or highly stressful situation, emotionally challenged or financially drained – reach out for assistance.
24 Hour Crisis HelpLine: 1-866-Cop-2Cop (1-866-267-2267)
SAFE CALL NOW
Safe Call Now is a CONFIDENTIAL, comprehensive, 24-hour crisis referral service for all public safety employees, all emergency services personnel and their family members nationwide.
24 Hour Crisis HelpLine: 206 459-3020
POLICE-MENTAL HEALTH COLLABORATION TOOLKIT
A PMHC is a law enforcement-based program that enables officers to respond appropriately and safely to people with mental illnesses.
NATIONAL CONSORTIUM OF PREVENTING LAW ENFORCEMENT SUICIDE
The National Consortium on Preventing Law Enforcement Suicide Toolkit is designed to support agencies and departments to address officer mental health and wellness concerns. This suicide prevention toolkit has all the information that agencies need to develop and implement a customized agency approach to prevent officer suicide and strengthen officer mental health.
International Chiefs of Police - Preventing LE Suicide Toolkit
COPS ALIVE
Information, strategies and tools to help cops plan happy, healthy and successful careers, relationships and lives.