Suicide Prevention ESSENCE Rapid Response Plans

Jessica Taylor
615.532.7560
Competitive.Health@tn.gov

The Tennessee Department of Health is offering funding for the utilization of surveillance data for suicide prevention in Tennessee using the Electronic Surveillance System for the Early Notification of Community-Based Epidemics (ESSENCE) database and alert system. Grants will support rural health councils to develop and implement county-level response plans for when an ESSENCE alert is received.

Applicants must demonstrate the ability to:

• Develop and implement a detailed community-level response plan for their county when an ESSENCE alert is received. This includes outlining specific steps to activate community resources, engage community partners, and address mental health concerns triggered by the alert.
• Provide a minimum of 3 one-hour informational sessions on the ESSENCE alert system and Tennessee's Mental Health Parity Law to a minimum of 50 individuals representing the county's community-based agencies, the general public, and/or healthcare agencies which serve their respective county
• Recruit a minimum of 20 new subscribers annually to receive ESSENCE alerts
• Establish clear metrics for success, including measurable outcomes that track community engagement, response effectiveness, and sustainability of suicide prevention efforts
• Integrate ESSENCE alert data into existing or new suicide prevention initiatives to ensure a coordinated approach
• Establish an understanding of best practices in rapid response planning, data utilization, and cross-sector collaboration in suicide prevention

Health councils are expected to play an active role in coordinating community responses to ESSENCE alerts. This involves leveraging partnerships, mobilizing resources, and ensuring that local organizations are informed and engaged. Each response plan should outline the steps that will be taken when an ESSENCE alert is received, including:

• Coordination with schools, healthcare providers, and crisis intervention teams
• Strategies to sustain engagement beyond a single event, ensuring that suicide prevention remains a long-term priority
• A plan to document and report on activities, including participation levels, resource utilization, and response effectiveness
• Clarification of how health councils can scale their response to fit their operational capacity

Eligible applicants are county rural health councils in Tennessee.

Award ceiling: $15,000
Project period: 12 months
Estimated number of awards: 4
Estimated total program funding: $60,000

Links to additional guidance, application instructions, and the online application form are available on the program website. Information will be found on the request for applications (RFA) tab.