Opportunity Details
LOSS Team
NAMI Greater Cleveland | https://namigreatercleveland.org/
Position Title: LOSS Team Member
Reports To: Postvention Program Manager
Status: Volunteer
Location: Community-based, On-Call
Position Summary
A LOSS (Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors) Team Member is a trained volunteer who provides immediate, on-scene support to individuals and families impacted by a suicide death. The LOSS Team acts as a compassionate first response, offering emotional support, resource connection, and hope during a time of intense grief and trauma. Many team members are themselves survivors of suicide loss and offer peer-based support through shared understanding and lived experience. For those who prefer to support the mission without going on-scene, non-scene response roles are also available.
Impact Statement
LOSS Team Members are a vital bridge between tragedy and healing. By showing up in the darkest moments, they offer connection, care, and hope, reminding survivors that they are not alone.
Who Serves on a LOSS Team?
LOSS Teams are comprised of community members committed to supporting those affected by suicide, including:
- Suicide Loss Survivors: Individuals who have personally lost a loved one to suicide and wish to use their experience to help others.
- Caring Community Volunteers: Individuals with a desire to provide compassionate, trauma-informed support to those who have experienced a suicide-related loss.
Key Responsibilities
On-Scene Response
- Respond promptly to recent suicides in the community to provide comfort and stabilization to newly bereaved individuals and families
- Adhere to all Standard Operating Procedures, Code of Conduct, and LOSS Team protocols.
- Respond to team activations, including nights and weekends, by arriving at the designated meeting location within 90 minutes.
- Work respectfully with law enforcement, first responders, coroners, and other agencies on the scene to coordinate care and navigate protocols
- Offer a calm, compassionate presence, engage in active listening, and support survivors in the earliest hours of loss.
- When appropriate, share personal experiences of suicide loss to create connection, reduce isolation, and validate grief
- Help individuals navigate systems and advocate for their emotional and practical needs during a time of vulnerability.
- Share information and connect survivors with relevant services including suicide loss survivor support groups and other community resources
Non-Scene Response
LOSS Team members are expected to provide ongoing support to individuals and families following the initial on-scene response. This includes:
- Making follow-up phone calls
- Writing letters and cards
- Mailing resources upon request
- Participating in remembrance events, community engagement activities, LOSS Team gatherings, and the companioning program
Qualifications
- Strong emotional regulation and interpersonal skills
- Commitment to confidentiality and ethical conduct
- Ability to remain calm in high-stress and emotionally intense environments
- Access to reliable transportation and phone
- Willingness to serve on-call and respond promptly when activated
Commitment & Support
- Completion of LOSS Team training and orientation
- Attend monthly LOSS Team meetings and quarterly training
- Participate in self-care and peer debriefing practices
- Support fellow team members and contribute to a collaborative, supportive team culture
Preferred Experience
- Previous experience in peer support or crisis response
- Leadership experience in direct service or crisis-related setting
- Understanding of trauma-informed care and grief support best practices
- Lived experience of suicide loss and the ability to draw on that perspective in a peer-support capacity at the scene of a recent suicide
Issue Area(s) Human & Social Services, Faith-Based Service
Population Served Families, Homeless, Immigrants, Refugees or Ethnic Groups, Low-income Communities, Military/Veterans, Offenders/Ex-offenders, People with Disabilities, People with Health-based Concerns, Other, LGBTQ+, Children & Youth, Men, Women, Seniors
Requirements
Age Minimum (with Adult): 21+, Minimum Age:21+
