DQ 2-1

In the top down vertical approach to the federal governments initiatives New York State created the Suicide Prevention Plan in 2016 response to this (New York State Office of Mental Health, 2016). Their strategy #2, Prevention Across the Lifespan in Competent, Caring Communities is in response in part to the national goal #5. The way NY plans to achieve this is through developing, supporting, and strengthening community coalitions as the focus of local suicide prevention infrastructure (New York State Office of Mental Health, 2016, pg 26).

This then allows for a vertical approach to local governments to develop their “coalitions” to help in the prevention of suicide in their areas. I live in Saratoga County and we have a coalition that has a couple subcommittees to raise community awareness and support trainings  for suicide prevention (Saratoga County, n.d.). This coalition did something pretty interesting to get the word out; they distributed 2,000 coffee sleeves locally that said “You Matter to Me” including the coalition’s information and the suicide prevention hotline number.

I believe this approach works well as the mental health issues and suicide prevention are more of a openly discussed topic than in past. There is always more that can be done but with the federal government understanding the need to start the process, I believe that local governments are better able to focus the resources to the need of their communities. Some communities are more touched by suicides than other.

New York State Office of Mental Health. (2016, September). 1700 is too many; New York States suicide prevention plan 2016-2017. Retrieved May 30, 2018, from New York State Office of Mental Health: https://www.omh.ny.gov/omhweb/resources/publications/suicde-prevention-plan.pdf

Saratoga County. (n.d.). Saratoga County Suicide Prevention Coalition. Retrieved May 30, 2018, from Saratoga County: http://www.saratogacountyny.gov/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Performance-Measurement-of-SCPHS-Suicide-Prevention-Coalition-CHIP-Progress.pdf

United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Surgeon General and National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention. (2012, September). 2012 National strategy for suicide prevention: Goals and objectives for action. Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved May 30, 2018, from Surgeon General: https://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/reports/national-strategy-suicide-prevention/full-report.pdf

2.

The example of a vertical relationship between Federal, a state, and a local government is the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014 formally the Workforce Investment Act (WIA).  According to the article Vertical–horizontal synergy of the health workforce “Vertical programs have three components: intervention strategy, monitoring and evaluation, and intervention delivery” (Elzinga,2005). The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) is a Federal program by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and that “Department of Labor, in coordination with DoED and the Department of Health and Human Services, is working diligently to ensure that states and local areas, other grantees, and stakeholders are prepared for implementation of WIOA” (doleta.gov). The funds are given the State from the Federal Government as the State sets guidelines and outcomes that need to be performed under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Those fund are then sent to the local government and though the Workforce Development Board and According to doleta.gov “Promotes Accountability and Transparency: WIOA ensures that Federal investments in employment and training programs are evidence-based and data-driven, and accountable to participants and tax-payers” (doleta.gov). The Local government ensures that the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) act funds are used responsibility and are implemented properly.  I do not believe that there is much that could make this relationship more effective for the public the government serve as the local Workforce Development Board has the ability to create programs and policies that has a direct impact on the local workforce and business they serve.

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