For decades, conversations around the prevention of suicides have dominated clinical processes and emergency interventions. But Dr. Kent Korso, a clinical psychological and founder RichBelieve that it is time to transfer the story and responsibility where it is: community.
Dr. Korso, whose organization’s partner, is on a mission to close a 30-year gap between research and practice, to train everyday citizens such as evidence-based suicides such as Vyoming, such as evidence-based suicides. “We have tried to apply a size-fit-solution to an intensive personal and cultural issue in half a century in half a century.” “And it’s not working.”
A major insight Dr. Underlines Korso that suicide is not just a mental health problem. “This is a social issue,” they say. “People are less likely to seek help in crisis, especially in areas where doing so violate cultural norms.” In rural America, it means often men or farmers who are proud of self -sufficiency and help their neighbors, but who rarely, sometimes, ask for their own help.
This ethos is both a challenge and an opportunity. “These are communities that can never walk in the therapy office,” Dr. Korso notes. “But they will show for a neighbor. This is the place where our work begins: to strengthen those neighbors to reduce the risk.”
One of the biggest obstacles to help on time is. In some rural areas, waiting time for a physician or psychiatrist may be month. Dr. Korso warned: “After four months from now, we do nothing, will help anyone in crisis today.”
But instead of looking at it as a dead end, Propper looks together as a call for an action. The organization trains all community members to identify the crisis, ask meaningful questions and implement evidence-based equipment such as crisis response plans (CRPS). These simple but effective plans are individual action plans that people can follow during the moments of rapid crisis. When used in a person, CRP is shown to reduce suicide attempts 76%Also through TelehildAccording to a 2024 study, they can reduce the risk 41%. “These are not complex intervention. They are unfamiliar to the general public,” Dr. Koroso says. “But anyone can learn them.” and that’s it.
Dr. Korso argues that the traditional model of suicide intervention – when a person reports that they are in crisis and increase to the highest level of care – often causes more damage than well. He says, “We are punishing the ‘sorry’ sorry ‘attitude’ and helping behavior with such a system. People have such a negative experience that they will not speak in trouble next time they will not speak,” they say.
Instead, he advocates a long game approach: the communities create comfort, confidence, and ability to take care of themselves and each other. Training programs of Propper Together continuously suggest that most of the participants report significant improvements in those three areas. “When people feel ready to help, they are more likely to help,” Dr. Koroso says.
And readiness does not require degrees. “We don’t need more doctors,” he says. “We need more neighbors.”
Dr. Korso Highlights is another major issue that is effective research show and what has been implemented in behavior, there is a gap over the years. Part of that delay arises from human nature. “Further you get from your postgraduate training, further you flow from current research,” they explain. “Physicians more than a study rely on their real experience.”
another reason? Fear. Dr. Korso shared, “The providers are afraid to lose their license, so they refer to it instead of addressing it. But it only feeds the system’s laxity.” It does not ask doctors about suicidal history from every patient. He further explains, “They say they are not confident or trained. Exactly the same focus on us: training for comfort, confidence and ability.”
Progress is happening, slowly. Missouri was the first position to formally accept mental health in her good Samarit law. Now, Vyoming is a pioneer as a second state, which declared mental health emergency conditions, including suicide, is the same as physical people. “It legalizes mental health and empowers citizens,” Dr. Koroso says. “It encourages people to work and tells them that they are authorized to help.”
He compares this receivable change to cardiopulmonary revival (CPR): 65% Americans have been trained in it, even if it is barely effective outside the hospital settings. Meanwhile, something like a CRP, which can reduce suicide attempts more than 70%, is relatively unknown to the public. Dr. Korso added, “Let’s train people to work. Let’s meet people where they are within their culture, values and communities. Similarly we reduce the risk. Similarly we change the trajectory.”
A single question asked at the right time may be a difference between another tragedy and another chance.
