Andrews suicide prevention program becoming model for Air Force Published Feb. 18, 2009 By Pacifica Chehy Capital Flyer staff writer AIR FORCE DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON -- In a field that some might see as macabre, Adam Shane, 779th Medical Operations Squadron Suicide Prevention program manager, has found a way to make a difference in this world: by trying to save lives. Mr. Shane, who works on Andrews Air Force Base, Md., is dedicated to fulfilling the Air Force tradition of "taking care of its own." He said that Andrews has recently developed a model for implementing the mental health component of pre- and post-deployment briefings called Landing Gear, an Air Force-wide suicide prevention program initiative. "Other bases have called me to find out how I was implementing Landing Gear, which came out approximately a year ago," said Mr. Shane. "That suggests to me that other bases have heard Andrews has found a good way of implementing the Landing Gear Program. The mental health component of the reintegration process educates returning military members on how to do so successfully. Part of that process is an interactive presentation and the other is a facilitated group discussion with returning servicemembers about their experiences and any issues that might be of concern," explained Mr. Shane. Mr. Shane gives the suicide prevention training monthly at the 779th Medical Group Newcomers Training, the First-Term Airmen briefing and also offers two to three monthly briefings that are open to the entire base. He also provides monthly briefings at the unit level and speaks with groups for training days or for commander's calls, provides assistance to the Health and Wellness Center through a voluntary seminar that addresses stress management and also facilitates a monthly, voluntary psycho-educational prevention group for youth at the Youth Center. The suicide prevention program's success here is in the numbers. "There have not been any Active Duty suicide attempts here at Andrews in over 6 months though, admittedly, it is much more difficult to track civilian suicides," explains Mr. Shane. "That is by far the longest time period in the over 2 years that I have been here." Though Mr. Shane's on-the-job accomplishments can be quantitative, there are qualitative measures, as well. "I would list two things as successes. First, we have not had any suicide attempts for quite some time. The other success was one civilian woman who attended my briefing a while back who was clearly suicidal. After the training, we spoke and she explained to me that she had read about the training in the paper and she was really depressed and she thought she might be able to get some help. During our brief discussion it became clear that she was clearly suicidal and needed--and wanted--help. I did what I have always told others to do when they come across a suicidal person. I took her to the ER after consulting briefly with mental health. She got the help she needed. Long story short, the program works and lives are saved," said Mr. Shane. Mr. Shane lists two factors most affecting those contemplating suicide: relationship troubles and feelings of hopelessness. "Relationship difficulties are associated more often than any other factor with suicide victims. I tell folks in my training that if someone is having relationship problems, that does not mean they are suicidal, but it is a good idea to pay more attention to that individual because this is a big risk factor," explained Mr. Shane. "The other big risk factor is an individual's outlook about the future. If someone believes there is no hope for the future and feels bad about their current situation, then from my experience, that's the biggest risk factor. One of the reasons for that is we all have risk factors for suicide, including relationship problems, financial problems and so on. But, we all do not believe that these problems will last forever and if we do, then that person becomes a very high risk for suicide," explained Mr. Shane. Anyone suspecting a friend or colleague is suicidal should just ask, suggests Mr. Shane. "You cannot cause someone to be suicidal," said Mr. Shane. "If you ask them if they are suicidal and they are not, they will not all of the sudden become suicidal because you asked them about it." "By far the most reliable way to find out if someone is suicidal is to ask them directly, 'Are you thinking of killing yourself?' Most people will tell you the truth if asked directly and, conversely, will not tell you if not asked directly. So, the moral of the story is, save a life and ask directly, 'Are you thinking of killing yourself?' If they say, 'yes,' get them to an ER right away and transport them in a safe manner. If they refuse to go, call the police or security forces if you are on base and they will bring them in," said Mr. Shane. "Take action and do not let your fear stop you from doing something. It is better to err on the side of asking someone who is not suicidal then missing the person that is."