A suicide loss survivor is someone who lost a loved one to suicide – a spouse, coparent, child, parent, grandparent, cousin, coworker, boss, friend, teacher, classmate, an on-the-job suicide, or other suicide connection. We also recognize “gatekeeper friends” which we believe to be the special people in our lives who help someone through a suicide loss which can be equally complicated to work through alone. Peer connection after a loss can be critical in moving toward healing.
Delaware’s LOSSTeam – Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors
DJ’s Alliance is Delaware’s LOSSTeam. It is an active postvention model concept created by Dr. Frank Campbell at the Baton Rouge Crisis and Trauma Center in 1998. He found that it typically took those who lost someone dear to them by suicide more than four years before they reached out to support. LOSSTeams significantly reduce that time and increase help-seeking.
LOSSTeams are found across the country and are made up of trained survivors and concerned community members who strive to connect with new loss survivors following a suicide death. Some teams go out to a scene; our Delaware team does not do this yet. Delaware LOSSTeam members are volunteers trained in Psychological First Aid, grief, shock, active listening, etc. They provide loss survivors with practical support and connection to resources and, most importantly, they provide an instillation of hope.
LOSSTeam members plant seeds of hope. By simply saying, “I lost a loved one to suicide,” a volunteer gives permission for the newly bereaved to use the word suicide, take a deep breath and know that support is here.
Refer a loved one or community member here.
Not in Delaware? Find your local LOSSTeam here.
Hope Huddles – DJ’s Alliance’s support group
DJ’s Alliance offers a support group at the Lewes Public Library on the first Wednesday of the month at 6 p.m. This group is led by a suicide loss peer who has experienced their own grief and has been trained to lead this group by DJ’s Alliance.
Not ready for a support group? Try peer support through DJ’s Alliance
We are here for you! You do not have to walk the path of a suicide loss survivor alone, but we know that not everyone is ready to hear other stories yet. We have individualized support waiting for you.
Refer a loved one or community member here.
DJ’s Alliance’s flagship program connects new survivors to peers who have experienced a suicide loss and have been trained by the alliance in Psychological First Aid, grief, active listening and more. We do our best to connect peers based on survivorship (spousal loss to spousal loss/child loss to child loss, for example). We also connect “gatekeeper friends” with peers. Peers stay with their connected person for as long as the connection is helpful!
Peers are here to listen – by phone, video call or in person.
Ready to help? Become a trained peer or join our LOSSTeam
Trainings for this program happen several times a year. Once trained, peers will be connected with a survivor after a referral has been made.
Let us know you’re interested in training for this program!
Other local support groups
Sean’s House in Newark has several support groups. The House is in Newark, but survivors can be Zoom’d in if needed. These groups include a Survivors of Suicide Loss Group and Young Adult Survivors of Suicide Loss Group. Check out their groups and other services here.
Mental Health Association in Delaware offers several Survivors of Suicide Loss for Grief and Healing groups in person (Wilmington and Newark) and online. For more information, visit this link.