Suicide Prevention Initiatives

SUICIDE PREVENTION

BRITE partners with agencies across the county to host prevention conferences in English, Spanish, and American Sign Language. 2022’s Suicide Prevention Forum, hosted alongside Ventura County Behavioral Health, Ventura County Office of Eduction and other community partners brought in hundreds of youth and adults.

Take a look at our incredible suicide prevention speakers from 2022 here.

Preventing Suicide 2023 Pathways to Hope and Healing

Keynote Speaker Gabe Teran

Preventing Suicide Pathways to Hope and Healing Keynote Speaker Gabe Teran from Wellness Every Day on Vimeo.

YOUTH-DRIVEN LIVE IN-PERSON EVENTS

BRITE youth spokespersons and performers gather to prevent suicide through advocacy, creative expression, and community discussion. In partnership with Ventura County Behavioral Health, a yearly Empower Up event celebrates diversity and works to destigmatize the importance of mental health. Students from every city in the county are bussed in for a day of resource fairs, keynote speakers, breakout sessions, and lunch.

PERFORMANCE AND THE ARTS

At BRITE, we believe that fostering creativity and encouraging the discovery of healthy coping mechanisms is an extremely important element in preventing suicide. BRITE engages with youth and young adult performers on a regular basis to share messages of encouragement and positivity with themselves and their community.

WEBINARS

To remain accessible to all populations, BRITE, alongside Ventura County Behavioral Health, has hosted several webinars in English, Spanish, and American Sign Language.

BRITE hosted Webinar Preventing Suicide: Community & Connections 2022

BRITE hosted webinar Conversations about Suicide: Help & Hope 2021

VIDEO CONTESTS: DIRECTING CHANGE

Every year, BRITE partners with Directing Change California to work with youth from marginalized populations to create short videos about mental health and suicide prevention.

Blog Posts

“Talking about suicide does not cause someone to become suicidal. It actually helps to talk about suicide, and the feelings and thoughts behind it.”

BRITE embraces the power of the written word and provides an outlet for youth and young adults to express their thoughts and ideas around suicide and suicide prevention. To read more, visit our blog.

SUICIDE PREVENTION WALKS

During Suicide Prevention week in September, BRITE participates in community walks and converses with students around their motivations for participating.

Artwork

Sometimes, artwork can express what words cannot. BRITE provides the time, space, and supplies for the creation of youth-made visual art, then shares that artwork with the community. To submit artwork of your own, please email [email protected]

Public Service Announcements

Student-made Public Service Announcements are a core component of BRITE’s suicide prevention efforts. To get involved in creating a PSA, visit brite.link/signup.

Students at Sinaloa Middle School investigate the relationship between bullying and suicide

Filmmaking

Through storytelling and filmmaking, poignant messages about suicide prevention can be shared in succinct and moving ways.

Here is a BRITE short film about the connection between suicide and opioids.

The BRITE program does not promote any unlawful use of drugs or alcohol.