Empowering Communities to Save Lives
Is What We Do
Who We Are
The Nevada Coalition for Suicide Prevention (NCSP) is a statewide coalition dedicated to suicide prevention efforts and made possible through our members in the mental and physical health professions, business community, survivors, advocates, and other supporters. Our goal is to increase community knowledge and support of suicide prevention through public awareness and education, to help save precious lives. NCSP is dedicated to partnering and collaborating with local and state individuals and organizations for the development and implementation of evidence-based suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention strategies and programs in the State of Nevada.
Our History
NCSP was formed in 2005 by a small group of committed Nevadans whose goal was, and remains, to address the significant problem of suicide in Nevada. From these humble beginnings, has grown to include public and private representation from across the state, and now offers internationally-recognized training and annual awareness and healing events.
Our mission
Connecting people and communities to help and hope – Everyone has a role to play in suicide prevention.
Our values
The vision of the Nevada Suicide Prevention Coalition ensures all Nevadans feel hopeful and are connected to the resources they need. In so doing, the coalition hopes all communities will be free from suicide.
NCSP Board Members
Jennifer has been in the Mental Health and Substance abuse field for over 24 years. She is WestCare Foundation’s Director of Training and Technology Transfer.
As a member of WestCare Foundation’s Professional Services Department she leads the development of and directs training for WestCare’s 1,800 plus staff in 17 and 3 trust territories.
She is also a part time instructor for two colleges and is an on-call consultant for the national Coleman Research Group.
Ms. Hilton is a certified safeTALK Trainer since 2018; ASIST Certified; a Crisis Prevention Intervention Instructor since 2004; and a Certified Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Adult, Youth, and Teen Instructor.
Helping to piloit several forms of MHFA for the National Council of Mental Wellbeing to different cultural adiciaudences such as MHFA for Refugees, Public Safety, and Veterans. She is considered a Subject Matter Expert in the field of training.
She presents at conferences across the country on Trauma, Trauma Informed Care, Mental Health Awareness, Mental Health First Aid, and Therapeutic Community Treatment model.
She also regularly works with law enforcement and other non-profit agencies across the country to provide mental health awareness, suicide intervention, and crisis de-escalation training in CIT programs.
Jennifer has a passion for suicide prevention, awareness, and postvention due to lived experience with individuals she has worked with, her own loved ones, and her own mental health conerns.
Jaime has been with Crisis Support Services of Nevada (CSSNV) for over seven years, He was initially trained in suicide prevention through ASIST.
His first position was as an intake specialist for DCFS reporting of child abuse and neglect before being promoted to Lead Case Manager with the introduction of a Case Management program.
Jaime helped develop and implement that program while overseeing four staff members and one intern.
In July 2021 he was promoted to Call Center Coordinator, a position which is responsible for the coordination of all call center efforts which include 24/7/365 phone and text-based support.
He was also responsible for oversight of the Crisis Line program, including recruitment, training, and supervision of all staff, volunteers, and interns.
Jaime is open about having struggled with crises in his own life, and those close to him, but never seeking out help.
After being exposed to this work, and the incredible people who have devoted themselves to helping others, his perception of the world completely changed.
Is currently the Director of Juvenile Services in Humboldt County and an active community member in the fight to eliminate suicide within her community.
She has a Master’s Degree in Psychology with an emphasis in Addictions. She is also a licensed alcohol and drug counselor.
Prior to working at UNLV, LaToya worked at a residential treatment center for youth in Anchorage,
Alaska then transferred to Las Vegas and worked at an acute care facility for all ages
On an annual basis, Alaska usually ranks the highest for alcoholism, depression, and suicides per capita.
Despite these numbers, the conversations that needed to occur were not happening.
After moving to Las Vegas, being exposed to a Youth Mental Health First Aid course, taking SafeTalk and the ASIST course, and then becoming an Adult MHFA instructor; Latoya found herself starting to have these conversations.
With so many conversations happening around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) it is a prime opportunity to point out that DEI work doesn’t stop and only revolve around race or the characteristics that are visible
(i.e. – inaccessibility of quality mental health care services, the stigma attached to mental health, and the overall lack of awareness about mental health and suicide).
Debby Mansoor is Clark County School District (CCSD) counselor who works with students and families who are struggling with mental illness.
She has been conducting assessments for both students who present as suicidal and/or homicidal for 15 years.
She has trained many staff members and administrators in the school district on the suicide protocol over the years.
With a passion to train, teach and help families and staff.
Debbie has also experienced personal loss with suicide.
Christina has been part of Carson Tahoe Health, Behavioral Health Services (BHS) since 1992, serving as the Director of Behavioral Health Services (BHS) for 12 years.
Under her leadership, BHS has grown from 28 inpatient beds to 52 (and counting).
She has brought innovative programming to the region, to include the only one in the state, Mallory Behavioral Health Crisis Center.
She has also developed grant funded community outreach programs such as First Episode Psychosis, Hospital Diversion – Assertive Community Treatment and Early Diversion – Assertive Community Treatment.
Christina’s passions include advocating for individuals with mental illness and substance abuse issues.
Developing innovative, evidenced-based programs to serve community members.
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and graduate of University of Nevada, Reno.
She is also an Advisory Board Fellow and member of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Christina’s focus is laying the foundation of trust and mutual respect amongst the BHS Team.
She is committed to empowering staff by offering opportunities for individual growth.
She is an advocate for utilizing students and interns on the BHS units, to include social work, nursing and other therapy/counseling disciplines.
She was just honored with the Nevada Business Magazine – Healthcare Heroes Humanitarian of the Year– Northern Nevada 2021.
Christina Sapien
Misty Vaughan Allen, MA
Suicide Prevention Coordinator,
Nevada Department of Health and Human Services,
Division of Public & Behavioral Health |
Office of Suicide Prevention
Misty Vaughan Allen became the Suicide Prevention Coordinator of Nevada in December 2005.
She works together with local advisory groups and community coalitions, providing oversight and leadership to launch this newly established program.
As the Suicide Prevention Coordinator, she facilitated the development of Nevada’s first Suicide Prevention Plan consistent with the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention. Misty graduated with her Master’s Degree in counseling from the University of Nevada, Reno.
She began her journey to prevent suicide as the coordinator for the Suicide Prevention Hotline of Nevada, a program of the Crisis Call Center in Reno.
Misty advocates for suicide prevention to help create change for Nevadans.
She was born in Reno, NV, and is the proud mother of Luke and Madelynne who assist her with suicide prevention events across the state.
Amaris currently works as an Assistant Research Analyst at the Nevada Institute for Children’s Research & Policy at UNLV where she is pursuing a PhD in Public Health.
As an attempt survivor, she focuses her research on universal upstream strategies for youth suicide prevention with a mission to promote mental health awareness, end stigma, and encourage opportunities for all youth to learn resilience, courage, and strength in the face of adversity.
Amaris has been a member of the Nevada Coalition for Suicide Prevention since 2015, was chosen to be the first chairperson of the Public Relations Committee in November 2016 and voted in as the Coalition Chair in July 2017.
As a member of the evaluation team for this project at the Nevada Institute for Children’s Research & Policy, Amaris will not provide oversight of project implementation activities.
All project supervisory roles and decisions will be deferred to a quorum vote of the remaining NCSP Board members.
