Suicide prevention

Hennepin County’s suicide prevention efforts began with a grant, which supported a scan of youth resources in the county. The scan showed a need for more resources in youth suicide prevention. In 2023, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) awarded the county another grant, which allowed us to hire Suicide Prevention Coordinator, Janavi Dhyani. Dhyani launched the Youth Suicide Prevention Coalition in February 2024.

Then, we expanded the work to the Veteran community. In January 2025, the Hennepin County Veteran Suicide Prevention Coalition began as a collaboration between the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs and Hennepin County’s Safe Community, Public Health, and Veteran Affairs departments.

In collaboration with individuals, communities, and partner organizations, we created a plan to improve quality of life for youth, veterans, and their families.

Youth suicide prevention

Hennepin County launched the Suicide Prevention Coalition in February 2024 to bring together leaders in youth development and mental health care, representing a wide range of lived and professional experiences. Throughout the strategic planning process, the coalition also gathered input from over 100 young people and more than 50 parents and caregivers.

These processes produced a list of strategies and actions to improve youth well-being across Hennepin County. After this initial strategic planning process, and in collaboration with the other suicide prevention grantees in Hennepin County, we identified a gap for supports of LGBTQ+ youth.

The Youth Coalition is currently shifting out of the strategic planning process into implementing an LGBTQ+ youth suicide prevention workplan.

Veteran suicide prevention

The Hennepin County Veteran Suicide Prevention Coalition was launched in January 2025. This initiative is a collaboration between Public Health, other Hennepin County departments, Veterans Affairs, Safe Communities, and the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs.

This cross-county coalition brings together more than a dozen Veteran-serving organizations, along with community members and loss survivors. It is grounded in three core values: commitment, collaboration, and character.

Over the next three years, the coalition is working to:

• Reduce stigma
• Increase Veteran connectedness
• Improve targeted outreach
• Increase use of services
• Promote support for Veteran families

Resources

Crisis Resources

• National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline – Call or text 988
• Ayuda en Espanol – Call or text 988
• Family Response and Stabilization Services
• COPE: mobile crisis
• Crisis text line – Text HOME to 741741 or text HOLA for help in Spanish.
• NAMI crisis resources handout (PDF, 1MB)

Youth

• NAMI Teen and Young Adult Helpline
• The Trevor Project – for LGBTQ+ teens and young adults: 1-866-488-7386
• The Steve Fund – for BIPOC youth
• No Wrong Door – for sexually exploited youth
• Better Together Hennepin – adolescent and teen sexual health and wellbeing

LGBTQ+

• Minnesota Trans Resource Directory
• Twin Cities Pride
• Family Tree Clinic
• Minnesota’s LGBTQ+ Therapists’ Network
• Minnesota Transgender Health Coalition
• OutFront Minnesota
• LGBTQ+ Glossary
• The Trevor Project LGBTQ+ Mental Health Resources

Veterans

• Veterans Crisis Line
• Hennepin County Veteran Services
• Find your local county veteran services office
• Every Third Saturday – Veteran Peer Support
• MACV – Ending Veteran Homelessness

Contact

Janavi Dhyani
Suicide and Violence Prevention Coordinator
janavi.dhyani@hennepin.us