About Us
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The Beth Foundation, Inc. was founded by the Harrington family and other concerned community members to address the tragedy of suicide in our Florida communities. Suicide is a preventable tragedy and the foundation is determined to do whatever we can so other families are spared the devastating loss of suicide.
The Beth Foundation Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to reducing the suicide rate in Florida through education and awareness. The Beth Foundation was established to provide training to increase the general knowledge about the nature of suicidal behavior, how to respond and refer a suicidal person for help and to provide a central clearinghouse for suicide prevention information and resources.
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The Beth Foundation developed, with funding from the Department of Children and Families, the Florida Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training Program and has used this resource to conduct educational programs throughout the state of Florida.
The Beth Foundation was founded in memory of Elizabeth (Beth) Ann Harrington (July 25, 1981 - June 11, 1997), as well as the over 2,000 Floridians we lose each year to suicide and their families.
Brief History
In June of 1999, Pam Harrington (founding CEO, The Beth Foundation), emailed Governor Jeb Bush about the loss of their daughter Beth to suicide and asked for support and guidance from the Governor.
She explained that when Beth died people kept saying no - not Beth; that people could not understand someone like her choosing to end her life. For Pam, she couldn't imagine any child taking their own life but from Beth's death she learned that suicide knows no boundaries. It touches people from all walks of life. The people lost to suicide are not statistics - they are our daughters, husbands, brothers, sisters, neighbors, friends - our loved ones.
Governor Bush responded the next day and invited Pam and her husband Bob to meet with him in Tallahassee to discuss this problem. A meeting was set for January.
On January 11, 2000 Governor Jeb Bush, recognizing that suicide is a serious health problem, met with Pam and Bob and other grass roots suicide prevention advocates and survivors. The meeting with Governor Bush resulted in his making the prevention of suicide a state priority. Suicide prevention has long been an issue in search of leadership. Governor Bush made it clear that we had his backing. He became and continues to be our champion.
Following this meeting Governor Bush directed the Florida Office of Drug Control to assist in decreasing the incidence of suicide in Florida.
In November, 2000, at the request of Jim McDonough, the Director of the Florida Office of Drug Control, representation from The Beth Foundation, AFSP n/k/a Florida Initiative for Suicide Prevention (FISP), DCF, DOC, DJJ, DOE, DOH, USF, and SPAN-FL convened at the Governor's Office to begin establishing an infrastructure for a state suicide prevention task force. The organization is the Florida Task Force on Suicide Prevention.
Under the guidance of Jim McDonnough, Director of the Office of Drug Control, the task force developed the Florida Suicide Prevention Strategy, which builds upon recent national efforts to confront the tragic and growing trend of suicide. The Strategy calls for an integrated and long-term approach to lowering the state's current suicide rate.
Florida's goal is to decrease the incidence of suicide in Florida by one third by 2005. This is a very lofty goal. However, it is important to remember that no matter what reduction is achieved, each and every life saved is in fact a miracle.
Since the task force formed we have made a great deal of progress. We have number of pilot projects around the state - The initiation of a media campaign, legislation, Gatekeeper training, coalition building, and funding are all in progress.
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In October 2002, the Florida Suicide Prevention Coalition - a coalition of Floridians for the elimination of suicide in our communities - was founded with Governor and Mrs. Bush acting as honorary co-chairs.
(Photo at left is Pam Harrington and Columba Bush.)
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In response to Florida Governor Jeb Bush's emphasis on suicide prevention, Pam Harrington (Florida Representative of SPAN USA and the Beth Foundation) and Robert H. Harrington Sr. (Training Development Consultant) revised the Florida Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training: Trainers Guide in 2002. The newly developed Florida Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training program has been and continues to be used throughout the state of Florida.
In March 2003, 2004 and 2005: Florida Suicide Prevention Day at the Capitol, chaired by The Beth Foundation, were held in partnership with the Florida Suicide Prevention Coalition and the Governor's Florida Task Force on Suicide Prevention. On each occasion the Governor has proclaimed the day as "Florida Suicide Prevention Day - A Day to Focus on Suicide Prevention Awareness."
January 2005: "The devastation of suicide impacts families throughout our state and remains a serious problem. Each life lost effects countless families, friends and loved ones with unimaginable sorrow and pain. Florida has taken a significant step toward preventing this tragedy by initiating the Florida Suicide Prevention Strategy to reduce the incidence of suicide in our state by one third by the end of 2010"
(Governor Jeb Bush, January 2005).
The purpose of the Florida Suicide Prevention Strategy is to serve as both a guide and an action agenda for preventing suicide in Florida, to have a lasting impact in bringing suicide to the forefront as a public issue, and over time to save thousands of lives that would otherwise be taken by their own hands.
March 2006: Ms. Harrington was the recipient of the Florida Office of Drug Control's 2006 State Leadership Award for being Florida's pioneer in the suicide prevention effort and acting as the leading voice for suicide survivors.
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