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The need to prevent suicide in Alaska is enormous. The state has the highest rate of suicide per capita in the country: 21.8 suicides per 100,000 people (nationwide, the number is 11.8 per 100,000). Worse yet is suicide among Alaska Native peoples at 35.1 per 100,000 people. Nearly 80 percent of those who take their life are male. And studies show that youth who are exposed to suicide or suicidal behaviors are more at-risk for attempting suicide. http://dhss.alaska.gov/SuicidePrevention/Pages/Statistics.aspx
It is Anchorage Rotary's goal to save lives that would otherwise be lost to suicide by working with others in the state already engaged in suicide prevention, like the State of Alaska Department of Social Services Mental Health Board and its sponsors.
We propose a multimedia plan that includes an integrated media plan: TV PSA (public service announcement) commercial radio and digital advertising. Anchorage Rotary will raise funds to play this media in the Anchorage DMA (direct marketing area), and the State of Alaska Mental Health Board has agreed to pick up the TV spot to play it statewide. In addition, we'll work with the State's QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) trainers to schedule two full meetings of this suicide awareness and prevention training with Rotary clubs statewide. Finally, we'll offer high school students interested in or already involved in suicide prevention with their peers, an opportunity to request "grant" money to enhance their efforts from a pool of funds we set aside for that purpose. Our partner, Spawn Ideas -- an Anchorage Advertising Agency -- will donate time and talent to produce our PSA.
We will reach out to Rotaries state-wide for the training, engaging with PE's to encourage clubs to participate, with the goal of 100% Rotary involvement in the project since suicide touches us all where we live.
Rotarians will be involved in the following ways: developing the campaign, raising funds, organizing Rotary clubs statewide for the QPR training, taking the training itself (ideally every Rotarian in the state). We'll also engage Interact students in the schools, getting them involved peer-to-peer with their own clubs, and in Key clubs, student government and other student organizations to create or enhance suicide prevention projects in the schools.
The timeline is spring 2015, avoiding the political season this fall and addressing the suicide threat when it is most prevalent (late spring, early summer). We plan a 12-week media schedule (PSAs and paid media in Southcentral; PSAs statewide). test Our message is prevention and our primary audience is Alaskans 25-54 years (with the understanding that we'll reach those older and younger as secondary audiences).
The bulk of project funds will be used to fund paid media placement to accompany the free PSA spots we're able to procure from participating stations. A smaller amount will fund our high school student groups' grants pool.
This project offers an excellent opportunity for public relations for Rotary, as we'll show Rotary as the sponsor in our PSA, be recognized on the state's Careline site, and increase awareness of Rotary among high schools students.
Anchorage Rotary will seek additional funds from other Rotaries in District 5010, from businesses and organizations across Alaska and from our members themselves. We have a strong team with a reputation for ensuring full funding of the projects which we undertake.
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