These cards were developed by Dr. Don Belau, Nebraska Local Outreach to Survivors of Suicide Loss & Quinn Lewandowski, University of Nebraska Public Policy Center and the Nebraska State Suicide Prevention Coalition, with feedback from first responders, professional partners, and suicide loss survivors.
We designed them with the idea to have them be a simple reminder for first responders to utilize their training and human nature when it comes responding to the scene of a suicide loss. With tips on how to best support survivors of the loss, and what to do after they leave the scene in practicing self-care for themselves and their coworkers.
The survivor card was developed in conjunction with the first responder card to provide survivors with three key messages to encourage healing and to encourage help seeking behaviors to aid in the healing process. We know the devastation and danger survivors of a suicide loss face in the aftermath of such a death is impossible to describe and is unique to each person, and the complicated bereavement process is often without help from anyone who is skilled in negotiating their journey and they routinely deal with stigma from this cause of death. Which is why we included handpicked resources, such as Nebraska’s Local Outreach to Suicide Loss Survivor Groups, that will help survivors get the assistance they need faster and increase protective factors around those impacted by a suicide loss
Organizations can order cards at:
https://go.unl.edu/firstrespondersupport
The Nebraska First Responder and Survivor of Suicide Loss support cards are also available for public download here:
If you’re interested in adapting the cards for your organization, please contact us and we’d be happy to collaborate.