What is a Local Outreach to Suicide Survivor (L.O.S.S.) Team?
L.O.S.S. – Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors – is an active suicide postvention model. This model involves two or more trained volunteers, called a L.O.S.S. Team, who proactively go to the scene of a suicide to provide immediate support to those left behind. At least one of these two trained volunteers is a survivor of a suicide loss.
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The L.O.S.S. Team model was originally created by Dr. Frank Campbell at the Baton Rouge Crisis and Trauma Center in 1998. Dr. Campbell identified that it was taking loss survivors an average of more than four years before they reached out for support.
"One of the things that I like most about Denise's L.O.S.S. Team trainings is that she is available throughout the launch and post-launch experience. At the same time, Denise is available to do one-off trainings as may be needed."
~ Dr. Frank Campbell
While each L.O.S.S. Team has it's own unique characteristics based on the needs of it's community, there are three commonalities that they all share: 1. They proactively reach out to the newly bereaved by suicide, 2. At least one of the volunteers who responds is a suicide loss survivor (peer model), 3. L.O.S.S. Teams exists for the same purpose: To be an instillation of hope by providing resources and support.
A L.O.S.S. Team at the scene of a suicide provides loss survivors with practical support and a connection to resources. And, most importantly, they provide an instillation of hope.