A Nanaimo woman was honoured by the American Association of Suicidology for her work with the Vancouver Island Crisis Society.

The American Association of Suicidology (AAS) awarded Elizabeth Newcombe the 2024 crisis service award on May 5, during the associationB次元官网网址檚 57th annual conference in Las Vegas, Nev. Newcombe attended the award ceremony in Las Vegas with a team of five supervisors.

B次元官网网址淚 just felt so proud of my team. We say B次元官网网址榳eB次元官网网址檙e small but mighty,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� Newcombe, executive director of Vancouver Island Crisis Society (VICS), of her 35-strong team, with 25 of those who take calls as crisis-line operators.

B次元官网网址淢y distress centre alone, we took over 43,000 calls last year.B次元官网网址�

As a small, independent centre, the recognition means a lot for Newcombe, who has been in crisis support for 31 years.

A new year brings new challenges, and in 2024, VICS will continue to expand, with plans to create a 24/7 text line. Currently, it only operates from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

VICS has boosted crisis line capacity and standardized services for its crisis intervention centre.

B次元官网网址淯nder ElizabethB次元官网网址檚 leadership, VICS has excelled in crisis intervention. Her dedication to initiatives like the Crisis Line Enhancement Project sets a high standard,B次元官网网址� Leeann Sherman, AAS president, said in a press release.

The Crisis Services Award winner is selected based on the quality, effectiveness, community impact and resilience in addressing challenging behavioural health needs.

The American Association of Suicidology is the worldB次元官网网址檚 largest membership-based suicide prevention organization. It was founded in 1968 by Edwin S. Shneidman.

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