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"It takes strength to make your way through grief, to grab

​hold of life and let it pull you forward." - Patti Davis

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   The LOSS (Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors) Team approach was developed by Dr. Frank Campbell in 1997 to interrupt the multi-generational impact of risk that survivors of suicide are often reported to have as a legacy of suicide.  The goals of the LOSS Team approach are to:

• Allow survivors opportunity to start healing immediately
• Give permission for families and loved ones to talk about their experience
• Link new survivors in their community so they do not feel so alone
• Share needed information and resources with survivors immediately
• Provide mental health services “Fast-Tracked” through Coleman Behavioral Health

The LOSS Team is a highly trained group of volunteers, with the optimal makeup of 50% suicide survivors, who will go to the scenes of suicides and disseminate information about local resources and be the instillation of hope for the newly bereaved. The approach was designed to complement the services provided at the scene of a suicide by adding a new team of first responders. There are three types of responses LOSS Teams make:

1. Traditional at the Scene / Immediate
2. Death Notification / Immediate or out of county
3. Delayed Response / At the homes of survivors, at funeral visitation or funeral service

 
The LOSS Team is coordinated by PVFF (Partnership for Violence Free Families) and is funded by the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board of Allen, Auglaize and Hardin Counties. This evidence- based approach is sanctioned by the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation and is currently being utilized throughout Ohio and the United States as a postvention approach for the prevention of future suicides. 
​Please contact PVFF:

• To meet with a family member or friend that may have lost someone to suicide 
• To inquire about volunteer possibilities as a LOSS Team Member
• To speak on behalf of the LOSS Team for community presentations on this special postvention work being done in the three-county service area

The DOSS(Drug Overdose Survivor Support) Team 
Healing Support for those grieving loss by drug overdose.  The DOSS team is reflective of the LOSS team research-based model. 
 The Allen/Auglaize/Hardin Counties DOSS team consists of 2-3 experienced people who go to the scene of the drug overdose death to provide resources,support,and hope. The team is comprised of trained survivors
(family and friends who have lost someone to overdose) and mental health professionals volunteering their time.

What does Allen/Auglaize/Hardin Counties DOSS do?

• The volunteers provide immediate assistance to survivors to help them cope with their loss
• The DOSS Team provides free grief resources and can coordinate the utilization of services and support groups within the community. 
• Many survivors have found connecting with someone with similar lived experiences offers them hope and encouragement.

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Why is a DOSS Team important?
Postvention is Prevention- Those bereaved by overdose loss are often times looking for help and support for other family members struggling with addiction.
Resources are Important- Having immediate access to helpful and experienced resources can prevent unhealthy coping mechanisms from developing and can offer much needed understanding and support.

Please contact PVFF:

• To meet with a family member or friend that may have lost someone to overdose
• To inquire about volunteer possibilities as a DOSS Team Member
• To speak on behalf of the DOSS Team for community presentations on this special postvention work being done in the three-county service area