Serving Eastern and Southeastern Idaho

In Crisis? contact the idaho Crisis & suicide hotline - Call Or Text

988

Or Chat At 988lifeline.org/chat/

about community suicide prevention

building a community of hope and support

I Am In Crisis
How To Get Involved

Our mission is to reduce suicide in Eastern and southeastern Idaho Through
advocacy, collaboration, and education.

Our vision is that Idahoans choose to live

Who We are

Community Suicide Prevention is an organization based out of Idaho Falls to serve Eastern and Southeastern Idaho. We are devoted to rallying around those in the community affected by suicide and lifting them to feel renewed direction in a world forever changed by the loss of their loved one. We educate people on risks, prevention skills to stop a crisis, and postvention skills to help those affected by one.

Volunteer opportunities

If you are interested in volunteering with us on a regular basis, please contact us. You may also join us at our monthly community meetings which are held the first Thursday of each month. See our events info page for information about community meetings.

Get Involved

Public Health Districts

Meet our board members

Rick T. Croft, LCPC

Chair

Rick Croft

An Idaho native, Rick graduated from ISU in 1992 with his master's in counseling. He has worked in a variety of professional settings throughout his career. Rick has been in private practice, worked for EIRMC at the Behavioral Health Center, and worked for community-based mental health agencies both as a counselor and in management and administration. He is currently the Director of Madison Cares, the mental health department for the Madison School District.

Christine Adams

Co-Chair

Christine Adams

Christine is a supervisor for Judicial District 7 CASA - Court Appointed Special Advocate, working with abused and neglected children in the foster care system. Wife, mother of 3 and a survivor of suicide to her beautiful son, her passion is working to spread awareness to end mental health and suicide stigma.

Tina Wheatley

Administrative Assistant

Tina Wheatley

Tina was born and lived most of her life in Pocatello before moving to Idaho Falls. She became involved in suicide prevention after attending the SOSL support group after the loss of her son. Tina is passionate about suicide prevention and spreading awareness.

Timalee Geisler

Secretary

Timalee Geisler

Timalee is a native of Eastern Idaho and graduated with a Master of Health Education from Idaho State University in 1998. She has spent her entire career working in local public health in a variety of prevention programs. Timalee is passionate about prevention and serving the communities that she loves and calls home.

Brandie Weaver

Treasurer

Brandie Weaver

Brandie was born in Blackfoot and has lived most of her life there. She is currently the Office Coordinator for IBEW Local 449. She loves that she gets to serve her members with benefits and retirement. She has been married to her husband, Tony, for seven years and together they have 11 grandkids and another one on the way. When suicide touched their lives in August of 2020, it left a hole in her heart. Helping others is therapeutic and feeds her soul. She loves the grief group that CSP sponsors in Pocatello because she gets to help others navigate their grief while they help her navigate her own.

Andrea Hamilton

Board Member

Andrea Hamilton

Andrea received her master’s in social work from Idaho State University and has completed training to become ASIST certified to conduct workshops and spread knowledge on suicide prevention. Andrea is proud to serve the community she calls home.

Sheila Murdock, MSN, RN-BC

Board Member

Sheila Murdock

Sheila has been involved with SPAN Idaho and Community Suicide Prevention since 2002. She was a co-facilitator of Survivors of Suicide Loss for 10 years. Sheila is a certified trainer of Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR), Metal Health First Aid (MHFA), Youth MHFA and Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST). She is a mother of 9, grandmother of 16 and a survivor of suicide loss to her 17-year-old son.

Tina Ricks, lCSW

Board Member

Tina Ricks

Tina Ricks is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). Through her experiences, Tina has found a passion for working with people and joining them in their journey. She is patient, understanding, and accepting.

Russ Wheatley

Board Member

Russ Wheatley

Russ is originally from Pocatello. He moved to Idaho Falls where he retired from Law Enforcement as a Supervisor in Parole and Probation. Russ and his wife tina lost their son to suicide and have to worked together endlessly to spread awareness and prevent suicide.

Eric Adams, d.c.

Board Member

Eric Adams, d.C.

Eric has been a Chiropractic Physician for 30 years. He is passionate about helping his patients feel better naturally. Eric lost his son, Nathan to suicide in 2017 and is committed to spreading awareness and helping to end the stigma associated with suicide and mental illness.

Bonnie Jennings

Board Member

Bonny Jennings

Bonny became acquainted with SPAN, now Community Suicide Prevention, after her daughter passed away by suicide in August of 2010 at the age of 20. She works at EIRMC in the Education Dept and has taught thousands of people CPR. Bonny’s husband Randy and her are active members of the Boy Scouts of America and are a team in most everything that they do. They have been married 42 years and have 2 boys and 9 grandchildren. She loves CSP and what it stands for and hopes to do many more good things in the future.

Jan Eastman

Board Member

Jan Eastman

Jan, an Idaho Native, moved to Pocatello in 2007. She retired from nursing after a 40+ year career. Jan is an active volunteer in the Pocatello community in many different areas. She works part time as a Community Service Worker. She is the grandma of 2 adorable granddaughters and a wonderful grandson who is now a teenager. Jan lost her oldest son to suicide in 2014. Once a month she facilitates a suicide loss support group in Pocatello.

RaeAnne Buerstatte

Board Member

RaeAnne Buersstatte

RaeAnne is a mom who loves working with high schoolers. Her goal is to help make our communities more mentally healthy – and have fun doing it. She loves traveling, especially with her husband, daughter, and grandkids as well as her bonus child, an 85-pound silver Lab named Sprocket, who is always along for the ride too!

Seina Canales

Board Member

Seina Canales

Seina is from Pocatello where she has lived most of her life. She works at Idaho State University as a Technical Records Specialist. Seina joined Community Suicide Prevention after losing her son to suicide in 2019.

Marco Erickson

Board Member

Marco Erickson

Marco Erickson M.S. can be found where there is service related to any form of mental health or positive things for youth. Marco is a current Idaho State Legislator and has served in many capacities over his 25 year career in mental health.

Melinda Kettles

Board Member

Melinda Kettles

Melinda moved to American Falls about 3 years ago. She lost her 14-year-old son, Shane, to suicide in July 2022. Melinda is also a mother to her 11-year-old son, Caleb, and a stay at home mom who is pursuing a career in the mental health field.

Katie Dodge

Board Member

Katie Dodge

Katie has lived in South Eastern Idaho for 25+ years. She is an LPC; having a Masters Degree in Mental Health Counseling. She has spent her entire career working with the youth through various programs and organizations. Katie is very passionate about youth mental health and enjoys learning and sharing – but prevention is her main focus. She loves serving the community she calls home in any capacity she can.

Brandi Daw

Board Member

Brandi Daw

Brandi is the Director of Physician and Provider Relations for EIRMC’s Behavioral Health Services. Brandi’s passion is connection. Through her experiences, Brandi wishes to be part of the “change that you wish to see in the world.”

Derek Emery

Board Member

Derek Emery

Derek is a dedicated and passionate professional and advocate with a profound commitment to serving his community. As a Certified Supervisor Peer Recovery, Certified Peer Support Specialist, and Youth Peer Support Specialist, Derek brings a wealth of expertise in suicide prevention, substance abuse and mental health to his endeavors.

Melissa Schrade

Board Member

Sara White

Boardmember

Sara White

Sara is the Executive Director of the Mental Health Coalition of Teton Valley. A Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and Counselor Supervisor with 14 years of experience across various professional settings, she is passionate about prevention, social justice, and systems-level work. Sara dreams of a world where all mental health needs are met and loves serving her community.

community Suicide Prevention 2024 Activities and Accomplishments

-Sponsored the Pocatello SOSL Support Group

-Provided an information table at Mackenzie River Pizza for their community night

-Updated CSP brochures, Resource cards, & training information and distributed them into the community including several school districts, ISU, and Blackfoot South Hospital

-Delivered compassion packages to several families who recently lost someone to suicide

-supported the syko realm motorcycle club’s suicide awareness fundraising event

-held cSP’s 6th annual conference with attendance of over 150 attendees on september 13, 2024

-dedicated the 6th angel hope bench in american falls, idaho on september 21, 2024

-held awareness/memorial events in pocatello, blackfoot, idaho falls, rigby and rexburg

-participated in the 4th of july parade in idaho falls and the eastern idaho state fair parade in blackfoot

-held a community meeting the first thursday of every month in which we brought in different resources from the community for education

-maintained our website with current information

-posted on our facebook and twitter accounts on a regular basis

-hosted the 7th annual survivors of suicide loss dinner

-created a digital version of the survivors of suicide loss packets and made them available on the cSP website

-provided several training sessions in ASIST, MHFA, AND QPR in the community

-secured 2 new people to become qPR Trainers

-grew our board to 21 members to include representatives from all over eastern idaho

-created a partnership with the sIPH suicide prevention program

-participated in the ammon pumpkin walk

-participated in the festival of trees, idaho falls

-KLCE radio station hosted a podcast with our chairperson, rick croft

sheila murdock did a presentation for “friends for learning”

sheila murdock presented at BYU for nursing student leaders

 

Reach Out To Us

If you feel you are in need of one-on-one resources such as speaking with other individuals in the community who’ve experienced loss to suicide or professional counseling, please call us at 208-243-9411 or email us through the form below and we will respond with available options as soon as possible. 

DO NOT use the phone number or contact form if you are feeling suicidal. Instead Call or Text 988

We do not save or misuse your information. Review our Privacy Policy.

We do not provide crisis intervention. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis please call or text the 24-hour Idaho Crisis & suicide hotline at 988. If this is a life threatening emergency please dial 911.

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