Project Grant H79SM091264

The Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration awarded the County of Niagara $361,793 on September 30, 2026, under the Center for Mental Health Services Projects of Regional and National Significance program (CFDA 93.532) to formalize and expand Hope Speaks Niagara, a countywide adult suicide prevention coalition.

The project will directly serve 10,000 at-risk adults annually across Niagara County's 168,428 adult population, with 40,000 served through the four-year period of performance (September 30, 2026, through September 29, 2030). Services include community suicide prevention training (QPR, ASIST, Adult MHFA, VA S.A.V.E.), lethal means safety interventions, connection to crisis care, strengthened crisis follow-up protocols with hospitals and diversion teams, and implementation of the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS) model. Public awareness campaigns and community signage will reach additional residents.

The project targets adults ages 18 and older at elevated suicide risk: veterans, first responders, men with access to lethal means, socially isolated older adults ages 60 and older, rural residents, and adults with serious mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorders. Performance encompasses Niagara County's 1,140 square miles across urban, suburban, and rural communities, including three cities, twelve townships, and the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station. Local indicators driving the project include rising emergency department presentations, increased crisis call volume, reduced inpatient capacity, provider shortages, and gaps in crisis follow-up services.