Lethal Means Safety Prevention Training Program

Background: The military’s suicide prevention approach as one that is (though well-intended), over reliant onmental illness models, ‘warning signs,’ screening, and forms and paperwork. Conversely, a public health approach proposes that the most effective way to prevent illness, injury, and mortality involves strategies that focus on the hazardous condition itself. In the US Military that hazard is the firearm where suicide deaths involve firearms 67% of the time and 75% in Fort Bliss – grossly disproportionate from the civilian community.  Suicide experts unequivocally agree that the one place where there is decided scientific agreement is putting time and distance between a person in crisis and the potential means of their suicide – this is lethal means reduction. Strategically, lethal means reduction is our most powerful suicide prevention approach, but its use is not widespread for several reasons. That the intended audience(including our leaders) is not buying it is a massive communication problem across our ranks. We must improve in this area by bringing the conversation about suicide risk and firearms into an area of trust – our Soldiers’ relationships with their peers and leaders. Research demonstrates that lethal means reduction is effective and translatable with military members when the right message is delivered by the right messenger. To that end, we must endeavor to achieve the support peer to peer intervention models that inspire action with their buddies in crisis, asking to temporarily hold onto their weapons or take protective storage measures –before it’s too late.

Objectives: The Overarching goal of this requirement is a reduction in suicides and suicide ideations as well as a culture change towards firearms safety.

Scope:  Contractor shall provide non-personal didactic and interactive modalities to include multimedia components that feature examples of current or former military members with lived experience managing firearms access when suicide is a risk.  The contractor shall accomplish a peer intervention training program on firearms and lethal means safety specifically tailored to the for all Fort Bliss tenant units for up to 17,000 Soldiers. 

Basic Services.  The Contractor shall provide services for training and assessment focused on educating and equipping Fort Bliss, Soldiers on evidence-based suicide prevention norms and practices on firearms and lethal means safety IAW the following:

(1) The White House’s evidence-informed public health strategy which identified that improving lethal means safety is its first priority

(2) The Army Suicide Prevention, AR 600-92– directing prevention practices raise awareness and provide education on restricting access to lethal means for individuals at risk.

(3) The Army Senior Commander’s Guide to Suicide Prevention which states commanders should deploy programs that promote and provide education on firearms safety and promote resources for safe storage of lethal means.

(4) Well established population health prevention strategies published in peer reviewed journals

Training: The Contractor shall provide training materials and training assessments. Educational materials will include a robust suite of professionally designed print and electronic educational materials, including conversation guides and materials, drafted in accessible, non-clinical language. Training assessment surveys shall be conducted with specific assessment expertise in peer programs and/or suicide prevention.

The Contractor shall provide video, print or other training elements that include examples of current or former military with lived experience managing firearms access when suicide is a risk.

The Contractor shall provide video, graphic design, copywriting or other communications capabilities to adapt materials as needed.

The Contractor shall provide instructors that have knowledge of the relationship between firearms & suicide.

The Contractor shall provide instructors that possess effective communication skills about firearms and suicide prevention.

The Contractor shall provide instructors that have knowledge of lethal means safety and firearms safe storage steps, basic crisis intervention steps, and proactive models for lethal means safety and firearms storage.

Training frequency will coincide with organizational availability across Fort Bliss. Contractor will ensure pre/post/follow-up training surveys of Service Members (SM) to ensure standards of acceptability, knowledge, attitudes, and behavior changes on firearms and lethal means safety are achieved.

The Contractor must have the capacity to provide training for Soldiers across Fort Bliss. Contractor will ensure pre/post/follow-up training surveys of Soldiers to ensure standards of acceptability, knowledge, attitudes, and behavior changes on firearms and lethal means safety are achieved.

The Contractor shall provide a data-driven executive summary twice during the period of performance. The first delivery shall occur no later than 90 days after contract award and the second delivery shall occur NLT 10 days prior to the end of the base period of the contract. This analysis will be based on the surveys collected during the training.

The Contractor will conduct pre-post, and follow-up training surveys of Soldiers IAW DoD Instruction 3216.02 Protection of Human Subjects and Adherence to Ethical Standards in DoD-Supported Research to ensure standards of acceptability, knowledge, attitudes, and behavior changes on firearms and lethal means safety are achieved.