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Abstract
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In April of 1966, at the request of the Mental Health Association and the Psychological Association of Western New York, the Community Welfare Council appointed a committee to determine the need for a Suicide Prevention Service in Erie County. Peter F. Ragan, M. D., Executive Vice-President of the State University of New York at Buffalo was appointed chairman of the group and Miss Mary Champlin of the Community Welfare Council served as the executive staff member. During the next year, the committee collected information on various suicide centers in the United States and Europe and on the need for such a service in the Erie County community. In this process, they interviewed all the agencies in Erie County which dealt with individuals who might be suicidal. Each agency was queried regarding its knowledge of the extent of the problem and how it might best be handled. Almost unanimously, they felt that there was a need for a new service in Erie County which would focus on this critical area.
In March of 1967, the committee presented a thoroughly documented plan for a Suicide Prevention and Crisis Service to the Community Welfare Council. This plan was subsequently adopted by them and presented to the public in a public meeting. A committee, with Charles C. Victor, a local businessman as chairman, was formed and discussions were held with the Erie County Mental Health Department regarding establishing and financing this new agency. The Commissioner of Mental Health, James Warde, M.D. was enthusiastic about the proposed program and agreed to support the development of the service as a contract agency of the Erie County Mental Health Department. Initially, a budget of $50,000 was allotted for this service in the Mental Health Department budget. In April of 1968, a nation-wide search was begun for an Executive Director to head the organization and, in July of 1968, Dr. Gene Brockopp, a Fellow in Psychiatry (suicidology) at Johns Hopkins Medical School was appointed to this position by the Board of Directors.
Initially, it was felt that the agency should develop an emergency telephone service, use volunteers, have a limited clinical program and initiate some research into the problem of suicide. After analyzing the community, its needs, the present mental health programs in the area and then discussing the potential value of various programs with the Commissioner of Mental Health, it was decided that the agency should have broader purposes and concerns in the area of emergency mental health services. The Service was therefore designed to be an innovative unit which would explore new methods of treatment and handling people in emotional crises through a variety of therapeutic services. It would also provide training and educative programs in crisis intervention and have a comprehensive research program undergirding the whole service...
Language: en |