Our Story

SPARK — Suicide Prevention through Awareness, Readiness, and Knowledge — began as a grassroots effort to confront a painful reality in our community: lives were being lost to suicide, and too many families were suffering in silence.

Founded in East Texas, SPARK was born out of a desire to bring hope, healing, and connection to those at risk, and to equip communities with tools to save lives. What started as a small conversation around a table has grown into a regional coalition of faith leaders, first responders, educators, healthcare professionals, and concerned citizens — all united by one goal: preventing suicide.

At the heart of SPARK is the belief that suicide prevention is everyone’s responsibility. Through education, outreach, and collaboration, we are working to break the stigma surrounding mental health and create networks of support. We engage churches, schools, law enforcement, and local organizations to ensure that no one has to face despair alone.

Today, SPARK leads multiple initiatives — from training faith communities, to providing postvention support for families, to building partnerships with hospitals, schools, and crisis teams. We are committed to shining light into the darkness and helping our region move toward a future where every life is valued and protected.

Together, we are SPARKing change — one conversation, one life at a time.

Get Involved

Together, we can spark hope and save lives.
Your time, your voice, and your heart can make a difference. Whether you volunteer at events, become a trained advocate, or help spread awareness in your community — there is a place for you at SPARK. Join us today and be part of a growing movement bringing hope, help, and healing across East Texas.

SPARK Initiatives: Saving Lives and Strengthening Communities Across East Texas

Suicide is a leading cause of death in East Texas — and yet it remains one of the most stigmatized and misunderstood public health issues we face. In rural communities like ours, limited mental health resources, geographic isolation, and cultural stigma create unique barriers to prevention and postvention.

SPARK (Suicide Prevention through Awareness, Readiness, and Knowledge) was founded to meet these challenges head-on — with a coalition-based, action-driven approach designed by and for our region. We know that suicide prevention requires more than good intentions. It requires practical, sustainable pathways to hope, connection, and healing across all layers of the community.

SPARK’s portfolio of initiatives reflects this comprehensive strategy. Through prevention, intervention, postvention, education, and systemic collaboration, our coalition is working every day to save lives and strengthen resilience across East Texas. Each initiative responds to real needs voiced by families, faith leaders, first responders, survivors, healthcare professionals, and clinicians in our region.

Here is how SPARK is making an impact:

CARES

Community Aftercare and Response for Everyone Surviving Suicide Loss

The aftermath of a suicide can devastate families and communities — and is a known risk factor for additional suicides. CARES provides immediate postvention services, deploying trained team members to support those impacted by loss. Services include compassionate outreach, grief counseling referrals, practical resources, and emotional support in partnership with local law enforcement and faith communities.

Through CARES, SPARK ensures that no family in East Texas faces the trauma of suicide loss in isolation. We offer a bridge to healing — at the moment it is most needed.

SHIELD

Supporting Health and Integrity for Emergency and Law Enforcement Departments

First responders in East Texas shoulder enormous emotional burdens. Repeated exposure to trauma, community violence, and critical incidents places them at high risk for depression, PTSD, substance use, and suicide. SHIELD was created in direct response to requests from local law enforcement, fire, EMS, and dispatch leaders seeking mental health support for their teams.

SHIELD provides tailored training, peer support resources, debriefing services, and leadership coaching to foster resilience and well-being in first responder communities. By supporting those who serve, we help safeguard their mental health and strengthen their capacity to care for others.

IGNITE

Integrating Goals for Navigating Intervention, Treatment, and Empowerment

Substance use and suicide are deeply linked across East Texas. Alcohol and drug use are significant risk factors for suicide — and yet our systems of care too often treat these issues in isolation. IGNITE bridges that gap.

IGNITE brings together mental health, substance use, law enforcement, and faith partners to build integrated prevention and intervention pathways. Through education, resource development, and strategic partnerships, IGNITE equips communities to address the dual crises of addiction and suicide with compassion and evidence-based care.

By recognizing the interconnected nature of these challenges, IGNITE helps communities break cycles of despair and offer more holistic pathways to recovery and life.

RESUS

Restorative Emotional Support for Urgent Settings

Healthcare and emergency room professionals carry heavy emotional burdens after patient suicides, overdose deaths, and traumatic losses. Too often, they receive little structured support to process these experiences — leading to burnout, compassion fatigue, and elevated suicide risk within the healthcare workforce.

RESUS provides trauma-informed debriefing, peer support resources, and resilience-building training for hospital and medical staff in East Texas. By investing in the well-being of caregivers, RESUS fosters healthier workplaces and ensures that those who serve others can continue to do so with strength and compassion.

Faith Connect

Faith communities are among the most trusted institutions in East Texas — and often serve as first points of contact for individuals and families in crisis. Recognizing this, SPARK launched Faith Connect, a dynamic initiative to equip church leaders with the tools, training, and connections needed to support suicide prevention efforts within their congregations and communities.

Faith Connect hosts monthly calls bringing together pastors, church staff, and lay leaders from across the region. These calls provide education, resource sharing, networking, and practical strategies for building mental health awareness and suicide prevention into the life of the church. Through Faith Connect, we are helping to create faith communities where it is safe to talk about mental health — and where lives can be saved through love and understanding.

A Unified Approach, A Growing Impact

Each of these initiatives is designed to address a specific need — but together, they form a comprehensive ecosystem of support that is transforming the landscape of suicide prevention in East Texas.

  • When a suicide occurs, CARES provides postvention outreach to survivors and affected communities.

  • When first responders face trauma and burnout, SHIELD offers them tools and support to foster resilience.

  • When substance use and suicide intersect, IGNITE drives collaborative care pathways and prevention.

  • When healthcare staff are impacted by loss, RESUS provides a vital space for emotional processing and support.

  • When faith communities seek to engage with mental health, Faith Connect equips them to become proactive allies in prevention.

This integrated, grassroots model ensures that SPARK’s impact extends beyond any single training or event. We are building a regional culture of hope, connection, and readiness — where lives can be saved through collective action and compassionate care.

Why We Need Your Support

The need in East Texas is great — and growing. Rural communities face unique challenges in addressing mental health and suicide prevention. But through SPARK, we are proving that progress is possible.

With additional resources and strategic partnerships, we can expand the reach and sustainability of each SPARK initiative:

  • More CARES teams deployed to respond after suicide losses.

  • More SHIELD trainings and peer support networks for first responders.

  • Expanded IGNITE partnerships to deepen integrated care pathways.

  • Increased RESUS capacity to serve hospitals and urgent care centers.

  • Broader engagement of churches through Faith Connect.

Your investment in SPARK is an investment in lives saved, families healed, and communities strengthened. Together, we can turn the tide of suicide in East Texas — and build a future where hope is stronger than despair.

Join us. Together, we are SPARKing change — one life at a time.