Marine and Family Programs
Marine Corps Suicide Prevention
Program (MCSPP)
LCDR Andrew L. Martin, Psy.D.
Suicide Prevention Program Manager
Headquarters, Marine Corps (M&RA)
andrew.l.martin@usmc.mil
703-784-9542
Mission and Strategy
Mission: Year over year reduction in suicides until zero;
then sustain.
Strategy: Leaders foster resilience and encourage Marines to
engage helping services early, before problems
worsen to crisis levels.
USMC Suicides and Attempts
USMC Rate per 100,000
* Civilian Rate per 100,000
200
19.9
20.1
19.5
180
20.0
20.0
19.6
17.5
160
12.5
23.7
19.6
17.2
16.4
Through
August 2011
14.4
13.4
12.9
140
120
125
100
80
146
60
112
82
40
20
23
26
34
28
2003
2004
2005
25
Attempts
103
99
85
80
Suicides
172
164
33
42
52
37
23
0
2002
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010** 2011***
* Last available civilian suicide rate information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Rate adjusted for Marine demographics.
** Includes 1 suspected suicide that has yet to be confirmed by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner.
*** Includes 12 suspected suicides that have yet to be confirmed by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner.
Source: HQMC (MFC-5) 2011Sep01
USMC Associated Stressors
Top Associated Stressors / Risk Factors*
2008 - 2009 Suicides
Marital or Other Relationship Problem
47%
Legal or Disciplinary Problem
40%
Behavioral Health Diagnoses
37%
Financial Problem
13%
Substance Abuse
11%
* Reflects a history of the stressor/risk factor within 1 year of the suicide
2010 Marine Corps Risk Factors
Rank
USMC
Suicides
E1-E3
40 %
46%
43 %
NCO
34 %
35 %
29 %
24 %
SNCO
16 %
11 %
2
19 %
22 %
CWO
1%
0%
3+
9%
11 %
O1-010
9%
8%
Age
USMC
Suicides
17-20
21 %
32 %
MOS
USMC
Suicides
21-25
44 %
41 %
03
19 %
27 %
26-30
17 %
10 %
06
8%
11 %
31-40
15 %
14 %
01
4%
8%
41+
3%
3%
Others
69 %
54 %
Deploy
History
USMC
Suicides
0
43 %
1
Organizational Chart – MFC5
Suicide Prevention
Program Manager
LCDR Andrew Martin
SEA
MGySgt Phillip
Bush
Data Analyst
(Hiring)
Research Analyst
Joan Fischer
Admin Support
Kim McGoldrick
Policy Analyst
(Hiring)
Program Functions
Field Support
-Technical assistance with PCRs, DoD Suicide Event Report
-Unit sergeant trainers and regional master trainers
-Commanding Officers
-Suicide prevention program coordinators, officers
-Marines at risk
Surveillance
-Track, record, analyze and report suicide related behavior
and trends
Education
-Develop, field and support skill-based education
-All Marines trained annually
-Support training in formal schools
Research &
Policy
-Coordinate
-Develop
-Report
Leadership
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Focused and engaged
A Marine Corps program
Provide annual training to all Marines
Maintain two sergeant trainers per battalion/squadron
Unit protocol for managing Marines at risk
Force Protection Boards
Death brief, 8-day and 30-day briefs, DoDSER
First flag officer briefs deaths to ACMC
Never Leave a Marine Behind
Never Leave a Marine Behind
Annual Suicide Prevention Training
• Award-winning, evocative
• Developed and tested by Marines
• Focus is on changing behavior
- Personal resilience
- Peer-to-peer support
- Frontline supervisor intervention
- Command climate management
• Separate modules for Jr. Marines, NCOs, SNCOs and officers
Never Leave a Marine Behind
Tools
• Monthly Suicide Activity Report
• Leaders Guide to Managing Marines in Distress
• MCSPP Website and staff (best practices, statistics,
technical support)
Behavioral Health Integration
• SAPR
• Peer training
• Frontline supervisor intervention
• Core Values  peer to peer intervention
• Privacy versus command awareness
• COSC
• Peer training
• Core values  peer-to-peer intervention
• Common risk/protective factors
• Holistic approach; all levels of leadership focused and engaged
• 20% suicides with combat exposure
Behavioral Health Integration
•Family Advocacy and General Counseling
• Relationship problems #1 stressor associated with suicide
• ½ suicides married; ½ single
• 13% suicides involved in FAP program
• 13% suicides with physical abuse perpetrator history
• 5% suicides with emotional abuse perpetrator history
• 3% suicides with sexual abuse victim history
• Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment
• Common risk and protective factors
• Alcohol as depressant  depression  suicide
• 19% suicides drank at time of death
• 27% suicides with past alcohol dependence/abuse diagnosis
• 19% suicides received substance abuse treatment in last year
Behavioral Health Integration
Installation
-Currently only a few dedicated suicide prevention positions
- Opportunity for coordination between HQ and units
- Policy support
- Training support
- Installation wide suicide prevention promotion
- Standardized marketing
- Coordinated events
Ideas
-Requesting additional support
-Senior enlisted education program payback tour
-Installation master trainer teams
-Regional resilience coordinator
Prevention Continuum
An Evidence Based Framework….
BUMED
USMC and
BUMED
USMC
STRESS CONTINUUM
READY
REACTING
INJURED
ILL
Questions