About Suicide Prevention and Crisis Services

The mission of Suicide Prevention & Crisis Service is to promote
constructive responses to crisis and trauma and to prevent violence -to self and others - through direct support and community education.

Meet the Staff

Jennifer has a BA in Math and French from Washington University in Missouri, a MBA from the Johnson School of Management at Cornell University, a MA in Community Counseling from John Carroll University and is a Nationally Certified Counselor. For years she worked at a major oil company and lived in Ohio, France and London. She moved to Ithaca in 2004 where she volunteered at various nonprofits before joining SPCS as the Executive Director. Jennifer has two sons, 12 and 15, and enjoys skiing and horses.

Christina received her graduate degree from Harvard University and her clinical training from the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. After graduating from Hamilton College she worked for People Services to the Developmentally Disabled and the United Cerebral Palsy Association in Buffalo. In New England, where she lived for seven years, she worked at a psychiatric facility, Worcester State Hospital. She has been living in Ithaca since 1993 with her husband and three children. Before working at SPCS, Christina was Acting Director of the Friendship Donations Network. If she is not at SPCS, you will find her at the ice rink or on the soccer and lacrosse fields running after her children.

Micaela received her undergraduate degree from California State University. Having worked in the field of HIV/AIDS Education and Advocacy for seventeen years in California, she moved to Ithaca in 2000 with her life partner. Before coming to SPCS, she was the Regional Director for AIDS WORK and then the Program Director for Community Dispute Resolution Center. For several years, Micaela was a volunteer at SPCS. She is currently working on a book of short stories about her 22 years in San Francisco.

Alison received her BA in psychology from St. Bonaventure in western New York and her MSW from The National Catholic University in Washington DC where is a licensed clinical social worker. She comes to SPCS with a long history of social work, working in fields such as HIV counseling, grief and bereavement, medical social work, maternal and infant, and trauma intervention. She moved back to her hometown of Ithaca from San Diego with her family. She enjoys reading, running and listening to music.

Marie received her BA from the University of Pittsburgh in English and Theater. After moving from Pittsburgh to Ithaca she began her 13 year-long career as a theater educator. Marie works as a teaching artist for the Hangar Theater. She is a festival coordinator for such events as the Ithaca Festival and the Fingerlakes Grassroots Festival. She has worked with Americorp Services as a violence prevention counselor and she is a former Crisisline Counselor at SPCS. Along with her various occupations, Marie is an actor, playwright and director.

Richard Driscoll, Director of Development

Richard is a 30-year resident of Tompkins County and comes to SPCS with a long-career in community-based not-for-profit management and arts administration. He was the founding Executive Director of the Community Arts Partnership, the arts council for Tompkins County, where he served for 18 years. He looks forward to a new career working in human services and to the challenges and rewards the work provides. Richard is President of the Board of the Human Services Coalition, on the Board of the Cayuga Lake Scenic Byways, the Social Service League, a Trustee of the Tompkins County Public Library, serves on the City of Ithaca Public Art Commission and is a Councilperson on the Newfield Town Board.

Maureen Beardsley, Administrative Assistant

Maureen received her BA in Education from SUNY Cortland. After teaching for four years she joined Cornell University for the next 25 years as an Administrative Assistant. She lives with her husband of 17 years and 14 year old daughter. The three of them enjoy raising and training their 12 horses.

Board of Directors

LeBron Rankins, President

Michael Hoysic, Vice President

Sandra Grooms, Treasurer

Hasan Scott, Secretary

Margaret Boynton

Caroline Cox

James Dragovich

Rick Hedrick

Kathy Luz Herrera

Anthony Pane

Sonia Rucker

Janet Shortall

Taf Squires

Evelyn Weinstein

Sarah Welch

History and Timeline

History: Following a series of suicides in 1968 Ithacans lobbied for a 24 hourcrisis service. Reverend Jack Lewis took the first call in 1969. The caller was a young man who felt so upset that he had decided the only solution was to kill himself. With the help of our first volunteer counselor, the young man renewed his hope and sense of possibility. 387 calls were received that year; in recent years about 11,000 calls are received annually and nearly 1,000 monthly.

1969	387 calls
1970	407 calls
1973	1192 calls
1974	2150 calls
1975	First after-trauma services following suicides, homicides, and other traumas
1976	2756 calls
1977	3665 calls
1978	American Association of Suicidology first certifies SPCS
1979	Adolescent outreach program developed
1980	5000 calls
1981	First Elegant Party
1982	After Suicide Support Group begins meeting
1983	SPCS offers emergency outreach services with the county mental health clinic
1985	Resources for bartenders and hairdressers developed
1986	28,000 copies of teen suicide prevention pamphlet sold
1988	Crisis intervention materials in 6 languages are prepared
1989	"A Gentle Ear" pamphlet distributed to elderly
1990	"Men Are Talking to Us" distributed, calls from males increase to 40% of total
1991	"You Are Not Alone" pamphlet developed for gay/lesbian youth
1992	10,167 calls; First trainings for college resident staff
1993	Cayuga Community Role Players becomes a project of SPCS
1994	SPCS celebrates its 25th anniversary
1995	Talking With The Caller, a new manual by SPCS and Cornell University, is published
1996	SPCS holds the first annual Suicide Survivors’ Day program
1997	10,442 calls received on the Crisisline SPCS performs Three Long Days, about the suicide of a local high school student
1998	9000 magnets with the Crisisline number are distributed to vulnerable populations after research shows most crises happen in people’s kitchens
1999	1700 individuals receive postvention support after suicides, fires, vehicular deaths, accidents, robberies, traumatic events
2000	SPCS opens the Sidney L. Tamarin Training and Resource Center at 124 E. Court St. (Crisisline remains at confidential address); presents play about school violence in collaboration with the Hangar Theater; First Annual Walk for Violence Prevention; receives Red Cross Award for Exemplary Service
2001	Serves over 2000 community members in the aftermath of September 11th and following local suicides, homicides, robberies, fires and other tragedies; Resource Library on Crisis Issues and Violence Prevention is open to the community; Cayuga Community Role Players receive Martin Luther King Peacemaker Award
2002	3rd Walk for Violence Prevention; Annual Meeting with Drs. Ellen de Lara and James Garbarino.
2003	The 8th annual Suicide Survivors Day features Dempsey Rice; Annual Meeting features Susan Rose Blauner, author of How I Stayed Alive When my Brain was Trying to Kill me; Crisisline Counselors receive Tompkins Trust Company Award for Excellence
2004	Playwright Kenny Berkowitz presents readings from Ashes; Dr. Ricky Greenwald presents “Youth After Trauma: How Traumatic Events Change Who our Children and Teens Become” at the 35th Annual Meeting
2005	Dr. Greenwald trains mental health practitioners and schools in helping children with trauma; the 10th annual Suicide Survivors' Day focuses on "The Lasting Impact of Suicide"; support groups are organized for "Therapists Who Have Experienced the Suicide of a Client" and for "Evacuees of Hurricane Katrina"; writing and topic workshops are begun; the Annual Meeting on crisis, trauma and the expressive arts features local painters, qulters, craftspeople, dancers, musicians, etc.
2006	The SPCS Crisisline has received over 220,000 calls.
2007	Over 1000 people have served as counselors. Over 10,000 people have received after trauma services. Over 25,000 participated in SPCS trainings.

Contact

Suicide Prevention & Crisis Service

124 E. Court Street Ithaca, NY 14850

24 Hour Crisisline: (607) 272-1616

Other Services: (607) 272-1505

Fax:(607) 272-1839

Contributions and correspondence may be sent to:

SPCS, 124 East Court Street, Ithaca, NY 14850.

E-mail: SPCS@verizon.net

Please note: E-mail is available for scheduling after-trauma & education services, providing volunteer information & addressing business needs. For counseling please call the Crisisline at (607) 272-1616

About SPCS

Mission

Meet the Staff

Richard Driscoll, Director of Development

Maureen Beardsley, Administrative Assistant

History and Timeline