Council reviews updated suicide-prevention policy and city mental-health initiatives in study session

The Palo Alto City Council on Jan. 21 received a staff briefing on an updated city suicide-prevention policy and a summary of city and community programs intended to support mental health across age groups and city employees.

Kristin O’Kane, the city's Community Services Director, presented the revised policy and a framework intended to expand the city's work beyond its prior emphasis on youth to include residents of all ages and city employees. O'Kane said the policy's purpose is "to affirm the City's ongoing commitment to the awareness of suicide as a public health concern, to promote community collaboration, destigmatize mental health care and concerns, and support suicide prevention strategies." She outlined initiatives including Mental Health First Aid training (about 50 staff and nearly 140 community members trained), extended teen-center programming, a partnership with Palo Alto University for low-cost clinical services and programming, and the city's Psychiatric Emergency Response Team (PERT) in the police department, which is currently operating without its licensed mental-health clinician position filled.

Palo Alto Fire Chief Geo Blackshear and Police Chief Andrew Binder described occupational stress and trauma among first responders and urged the council to support a culture that reduces stigma and increases access to services. Chief Blackshear said repeated exposure to traumatic scenes leads to "increased levels of occupational stress that can lead to depression, anxiety, PTSD, and, in some cases, suicidal ideations." Chief Binder highlighted national research showing elevated rates of mental-health challenges in law enforcement and said the council should help reduce stigma among staff.

Community partners and coalition leaders also spoke. Vic Ojakian, a longtime local advocate and co-founder of Project Safety Net, endorsed the staff update and encouraged stronger coordination with long-standing community partners. Project Safety Net representatives described plans to reactivate a coalition and priorities including means-safety around the rail corridor and crisis communications.

Council members praised the expansion to include city employees and public-safety staff and urged the city to preserve the prior youth focus that prompted the first policy in 2010. Council members asked staff to return with additional data on local suicide and attempt trends, discuss metrics and reporting back to council, and consider how to proceed with community engagement. Several council members suggested referring the item to the Policy & Services Committee or another committee for more detailed work; staff indicated that next steps could include committee review and additional community consultation.

Ending

Council took no final policy vote at the study session. Staff was asked to continue outreach with community partners, refine data and metrics to be reported back to the council, and return with implementation proposals including training, transit-of-care tools and options for supporting city employees and public-safety staff.