Chair: Steve Boczenowski (boczeno@gmail.com)
Co-Chair: Megan Melanson (Megan.S.Melanson@centene.com)
The Mission of the SOSL Subcommittee is to provide comfort and support for survivors of suicide loss in New Hampshire. We achieve that mission through direct support of individual survivors, through indirect support of survivors by providing support to private support group facilitators, and through the work done by organizations in the state (e.g., NAMI NH, AFSP, NH Healthy Families, Samaritans, etc.)
The SOSL Subcommittee meets on the 4th Monday of each month from 1:00-2:00. Please get in touch with the Chair or Co-Chair for locations of the meetings.
Nervous System Stabilization Group sessions
Over the past two years, the NH Suicide Prevention Council’s Survivors of Suicide Loss Committee has hosted NSG sessions for Providers engaged in high-stress clinical work who would benefit from this approach to reduce vicarious trauma and burn out. Please see attached flyer for more information. The Council hopes to offer more sessions in the future. Check back here for updates!
Two opportunities each month to join a conversation
2nd Friday of every month, 9am-10am on Zoom
Click to register and get the link for Friday Coffee Chats visit:
4th Tuesday of every month, 6pm-7pm on Zoom
Click to register and get the link for Tuesday Coffee Chats visit:
The work of the First Responders Committee focuses on preventing suicide and enhancing the quality of life for the professionals in our communities who always offer help when NH residents need them—the first responders. It also works to ensure first responders know how to recognize suicide risk in others, respond effectively, and connect the person to resources. Members of the First Responders Committee are from across the state, representing all first responders and other professionals interested in supporting those working in these fields.
The First Responders Committee hosts a training each year for all first responders to attend and learn about resources and services in New Hampshire that they can recommend to those in crisis or can use for themselves if the need arises. In 2023 the Committee hosted its first training for School Resource Officers to provide information and awareness about suicide risk among youth and the resources available in New Hampshire.
Meetings are held in person twice/year. Please get in touch with the Chair for upcoming meeting dates and locations. Guests and new members are always welcome!
For more information on the NH Suicide Prevention Council – First Responders Committee:
Seth Gahr, Chair, SPC-First Responders Committee
NH State Police
Seth.L.Gahr@DOS.NH.GOV
The work of the Military & Veterans Committee focuses on preventing suicide and enhancing quality of life of Service members, Veterans, and their families. In 2019, the Committee merged its membership with the NH Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide among Service Members, Veterans, and their Families team. This initiative is supported and facilitated by SAMHSA and the VA and continues to be implemented by the Committee.
2025-2026 Community of Practice (CoP) Meeting Schedule
CoP meetings are held virtually on the 2nd Wednesday of the month from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM on a quarterly basis. The public is welcome!
Guests are invited to these meetings to speak about topics or services related to military/Veterans in New Hampshire. We build in time for discussion and Q&A, and, if time allows, members are encouraged to share updates or announcements related to the work they are doing for Veterans. If you can recommend a topic or guest speaker, please let either of the co-chairs know.
- September 10, 2025
- December 10, 2025
- March 11, 2026
- June 10, 2026
- September 9, 2026
Virtual link for this meeting:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://naminh-org.zoom.us/j/83485248257?pwd=iPY3MqWIfhC3PP0tMxpwruRDI8AMUX.1
Meeting ID: 834 8524 8257
Passcode: 306065
NH Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide among SMVF Advisory Team
Meetings scheduled as-needed and are held virtually.
The business of the committee is conducted during these meetings. This includes but is not limited to planning related to initiatives, goals/objectives, decisions regarding committee funding requests for the Council to approve, announcements from key partners statewide, updates from community partners, information about Suicide Prevention Council work.
For information regarding the work or the meetings of the SPC Military & Veterans Committee or to provide feedback, please reach out to either of the co-chairs.
Amy Cook, NAMI New Hampshire
acook@naminh.org
J. Justin Moeling (Justin), Manchester VA Medical Center
John.Moeling@va.gov
The work of the Policy Committee focuses on preventing suicide and enhancing the quality of life for residents of New Hampshire through the use of activities that influence public policy. The NH SPC believes that our state and local governments have the power to make change and can play an important role in preventing suicide in New Hampshire communities. Public policy and decision-making are influenced by politics, data, and local interests. The Policy Committee facilitates communication and collaboration with policymakers and opinion leaders about suicide prevention through different forms of engagement and messages.
Meetings are held in-person six times each year every other month starting in January on the 3rd Wednesday from 1:00PM-2:00PM. Meetings are hosted virtually via Zoom. Contact the Chair for a virtual link to attend the meetings.
Guests and new members are always welcome!
For more information on the NH Suicide Prevention Council – Policy Committee:
Chair: Holly Stevens, HStevens@naminh.org
Co-Chair: Emma Sevigny, esevigny@new-futures.org
Chair: Patrick Roberts, NAMI NH – proberts@naminh.org
The Data Subcommittee is focused on improving and expanding suicide data surveillance and analysis in New Hampshire.
Subcommittee goals include:
- Ensuring accurate data on mental health and suicide is readily available to community stakeholders, policymakers, and the general public.
- Expanding the active use of data in planning and decision-making.
Meeting schedule: Meetings are held on the 4th Wednesday of February, May, August, and October from 9:30 am to 11:30 am. Contact Patrick Roberts – proberts@naminh.org for the current meeting location and/or remote access link.
Chair: Mary Forsythe-Taber
Co-Chair: OPEN
The communications committee is focused on ensuring crisp, accurate suicide prevention communication and messaging to the general public. Safe messaging and sharing the latest trends and innovations from the federal level is also a priority of the committee. In addition, the committee supports marketing and communication needs of the other SPC committees. Recent efforts of the committee have been the rebranding and development of a branding guide for the council. In addition, the committee is leading the team, in collaboration with our web development partner Cookson Communications, to develop a website dedicated to suicide prevention for the state of NH.
The communications committee also heads up the development and coordination of the annual NH Suicide Prevention Conference.
Currently, the communications committee virtually meets on the second Wednesday of the month. In 2024 we plan to begin meeting under a hybrid model, allowing those interested in joining the committee or simply attending a meeting to do so either in person or remotely.
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86591527384?pwd=MmJhcmVYSFluVU4vYUdSd3Z6NFRBQT09
2025 Conference
NOVEMBER 13, 2025
Each year the SPC plans and presents a conference devoted to bringing individuals, businesses, education, public health, mental health, and caregivers together to share, learn and expand the development of suicide prevention efforts, support for survivors of suicide loss, and attempt survivors. The 2025 NH Suicide Prevention Conference will be held on November 13, 2025 in Manchester, NH.