Building Momentum: Highlights of the April 2025 FSP Convening

In April 2025, the Missouri Firearm Suicide Prevention Cohort convened at Old Kinderhook Resort in Camdenton, MO for three days of connection, reflection, and strategy-building. Set in the quiet hills of central Missouri, the gathering created space for firearm suicide prevention practitioners and advocates to step back from day-to-day work and reconnect with each other and the larger purpose behind their efforts. 

The convening focused on deepening peer relationships and exploring the knowledge, skills, and mindset shifts required for long-term, community-based prevention. A central feature during the convening was a Ripple Effects Mapping (REM) poster walkthrough and group discussion, where participants reflected on stories that highlighted real change taking place across Missouri and their work in firearm suicide prevention. Examples included libraries embracing suicide prevention advocacy, school presentations that opened the door to youth outreach, and local leaders stepping into prevention roles after attending trainings. 

Many of these stories showed how one training, conversation, or partnership can lead to meaningful and sustained impact. Participants described the power of building trusted relationships within communities and noted how a single leader, whether a pastor, fire chief, or school counselor can influence entire networks when equipped with the right tools and support. 

 Community partnerships were also explored as essential to this work. Rather than being transactional, these relationships have become sources of mutual resilience and shared capacity. FSP cohort members spent some time thinking on how the culture of this Cohort has encouraged openness, collaboration, and a departure from the territorial tendencies that have sometimes held the field back. 

The convening also acknowledged the emotional toll of suicide prevention, especially among those on the front lines. Discussions emphasized the importance of peer support, team check-ins, and sustainable practices in order to offload some of the heaviness that comes with working in this field. 

 Flexibility and adaptability continue to be important as the field of community-based suicide prevention navigates shifts in the political and economic environment. The April convening made clear that community-rooted efforts are not only possible, but already making a difference and that the momentum behind this work continues to grow, driven by deep passion and enduring resilience.