Please note: This is a Sole Source Notification. The Agency hereby provides notice that it intends to enter into a sole source contract per S.C. Code Ann. §11-35-1560 with Vendor for the following supplies, services, information technology, or construction: The Office of Mental Health (OMH) Suicide Prevention Program (SPP) provides training and awareness about suicide prevention efforts in SC. To increase the availability of suicide prevention trainings for the community, SPP must maintain a roster of trained trainers available statewide and keep an inventory of training materials. Supported by over 50 peer-reviewed studies and government reports, LivingWorks training has the most robust evidence ased training in the suicide prevention training field. The proven benefits of LivingWorks are foundin four categories: 1) evidence of tranee skill improvement; 2) evidence of improved suicide prevention outcomes and reduced suicide rates; 3) evidence of cost savings; and 4) evidence of improvements in counseling, listening, and leadership skills. Numerous studies have found that LivingWorks training improves trainees’ skills, knowledge, and readiness to intervene. These studies have used both self-assessment (i.e. how prepared trainees felt to respond pre- and post-training) and objective measures (i.e. how well trainees performed on skill tests pre- and post-training). LivingWorks has been provided to communities and organizations with suicide prevention and intervention solutions for over 40 years. LivingWorks owns ASIST training and the respective Training for Trainers (T4T) and is the only organization to offer the materials and T4T courses. LivingWorks owns a copyright and intellectual property rights for the contents of the websites and any associated trainings. LivingWorks also owns safeTALK and all associated materials. safeTALK helps break down suicide stigma in the community. It has better skill retention than other connector programs and is safe for people age 15+ with no adverse effects from the training. OMH already has safeTALK trainers, so continuing this training will prevent the additional cost of procuring a new T4T for community training. The vendor would provide BHDD with a 5-day in-person workshop to train 10 ASIST trainer candidates. This also includes trainer participation manuals, as well as ASIST kits to be provided to the trainers when hosting a training of their own. The vendor would also provide safeTALK manuals for existing safeTALK trainers to use when hosting a training of their own.
