Metro News Release
For immediate release: September 16, 2010
Suicide prevention program focuses on individual safety
Metro seeks to reduce suicide attempts
The Metro Board of Directors Customer Service, Operations and Safety Committee today (Sept. 16) furthered the agency’s efforts to improve safety by recommending that the full Board authorize Metro staff to initiate and award a contract to develop and initiate a Suicide Prevention Program.
Pending final board approval on Sept. 30, Metro will release a request for proposals (RFP) to help the agency develop the program and train a first group of Metro employees.
To prepare for the RFP, Metro’s Human Resources Department has been gathering information on best practices of leading suicide prevention organizations, such as the D.C. Department of Mental Health, the American Association of Suicidology, CrisisLink of Arlington, Va., and the Toronto Transit Commission.
Training within the program will allow Metro employees to develop prevention skills by learning to recognize potential suicidal behaviors and identify distressed, at-risk customers. Employees also will develop the confidence and knowledge to intervene and prevent possible suicides.
"Our goal is to apply the best practices of the industry, and to engage professional suicide prevention experts, to reduce suicides on Metro property,” said Chris Zimmerman, Chairman of Metro’s Customer Service, Operations and Safety Committee. “This critical safety program will help Metro save lives, while also protecting our customers and employees from the horrible after-effects they also experience as witnesses to these tragedies.”
Following the selection and award of a vendor, Metro anticipates the first phase of the program will begin in November with a train-the-trainer course for key Metro Transit Police, Safety, Bus, Rail and Human Resources staff. Training for the first group of Metrorail operators and station managers is also expected to start in December.
News release issued at 12:15 pm, September 16, 2010.