SFCC News:

In response to New Mexico’s persistently high suicide rate, among the top five in the nation, Santa Fe Community College (SFCC) has developed a new suicide prevention course: ABC – Ask, Be Present, Connect.

The program debuts this August in Los Alamos and is free and open to the public.

“The ABC program goes beyond crisis intervention,” said curriculum creator, Marvel Harrison, PhD. “It includes upstream prevention by building a culture where it’s safe to ask someone if they’re thinking about suicide. Talking about suicide saves lives.”

The ABC Suicide Prevention program is a community-centered initiative designed to equip New Mexico residents to ask directly about suicide, be present with compassion, and connect people to support who need it most. ABC is intentionally designed to be widely accessible, offering practical, immediate actions that anyone—not just professionals—can learn and apply.

The short-format sessions are simple, approachable, and scalable through a train-the-trainer model, allowing communities to build a lasting, local capacity. By normalizing suicide prevention as a basic skill, ABC empowers people to take meaningful action when someone may be at risk.

“Los Alamos Uniting for Community Health (LAUNCH) is excited to partner with SFCC’s ABC training to bring accessible suicide prevention training to our incredible community,” said Brandi Weiss, program manager and Anchorum Fellow for the Los Alamos Community Foundation. “We know this partnership will make a strong and lasting positive impact.”

The ABC program includes three training tiers launching this year:

• ABC Partner Class (1 hour): Participants become ABC Partners, trained in foundational skills to support those at risk.
• ABC Instructor Course (6.5 hours): Graduates become ABC Instructors qualified to teach the Partner Class in their communities.
• ABC Lead Trainer Program: Participants become ABC Lead Trainers, certified to train new instructors through the ABC Instructor Course.

“In June 2025, we lost two young people to suicide in Northern New Mexico,” said Clarie Miller, suicide prevention coordinator for the New Mexico Department of Health. “Programs like ABC help us turn grief into action and give communities a path forward.”

New Mexico faces one of the highest suicide rates in the nation, with more than 500 lives lost each year. The burden falls heaviest on youth, Indigenous communities, and residents in rural areas (New Mexico Department of Health, 2023). Four times more men die by suicide than women. Recent events underscore the urgency of community-based prevention efforts.

Upcoming ABC Suicide Prevention Partner Classes in Los Alamos:

• Friday, Sept. 12 at 10:30 a.m. at Mesa Public Library in Los Alamos;
• Monday, Oct. 20 at noon at White Rock Branch Library;
• Friday, Nov. 14 at 10:30 a.m. at White Rock Branch Library; and
• Monday, Dec. 15 at noon at Mesa Public Library in Los Alamos.

Upcoming ABC Suicide Prevention Instructor Course in Los Alamos:

• Thursday, Aug. 7, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Los Alamos County Municipal Building-Room 330.

To register for a course or class, please contact: mulan.chanrandel@sfcc.edu.

About SFCC:

Santa Fe Community College (SFCC) is committed to advancing mental health equity and suicide prevention through accessible education, workforce development, and strategic community partnerships. The ABC program is funded by the NM State Legislature and was co-developed as a best practice program with input from educators, public health professionals, and individuals with lived experience.