New Call to Action to Prevent Suicide
A new report by the Surgeon General outlines six major steps that will guide suicide prevention going foward. This strategy was created in collaboration by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Office of the Surgeon General, and the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention (Action Alliance).
It was also endorsed by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. In their official statement they said, “As with all our suicide prevention work, we will engage partners across the public, private and voluntary sectors to make a measurable and sustainable impact. Together, we will carry out the work called for in the report, and advance our mission of saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide.”
This official plan is titled “The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Implement the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (Call to Action)”. Below you can find a copy of that report or check out their website here: https://theactionalliance.org/our-strategy/national-strategy-suicide-prevention/call-action?_ke=eyJrbF9jb21wYW55X2lkIjogIkpYek52TCIsICJrbF9lbWFpbCI6ICJsdWN5bmljb2xlZEBnbWFpbC5jb20ifQ%3D%3D
Action 1: Activate a Broad-Based Public Health Response to Suicide
1.1 Broaden perceptions of suicide, who is affected, and the many factors that can affect suicide risk.
1.2 Empower every individual and organization to play a role in suicide prevention.
1.3 Engage people with lived experience in all aspects of suicide prevention.
1.4 Use effective communications to engage diverse sectors in suicide prevention.
Action 2: Address Upstream Factors that Impact Suicide
2.1 Promote and enhance social connectedness and opportunities to contribute.
2.2 Strengthen economic support.
2.3 Engage and support high-risk and underserved groups.
2.4 Dedicate resources to the development, implementation, and evaluation of interventions aimed at preventing suicidal behaviors.
Action 3: Ensure Lethal Means Safety
3.1 Empower communities to implement proven approaches.
3.2 Increase the use of lethal means safety counseling.
3.3 Dedicate resources to the development, implementation, and evaluation of interventions aimed at addressing the role of lethal means safety in suicide and suicide prevention.
Action 4: Support Adoption of Evidence-Based Care for Suicide Risk
4.1 Increase clinical training in evidence-based care for suicide risk.
4.2 Improve suicide risk identification in health care settings.
4.3 Conduct safety planning with all patients who screen positive for suicide risk.
4.4 Increase the use of suicide safe care pathways in health care systems for individuals at risk.
4.5 Increase the use of caring contacts in diverse settings.
Action 5: Enhance Crisis Care and Care Transitions
5.1 Increase development and use of statewide or regional crisis service hubs.
5.2 Increase the use of mobile crisis teams.
5.3 Increase the use of crisis receiving and stabilization facilities.
5.4 Ensure safe care transitions for patients at risk.
5.5 Ensure adequate crisis infrastructure to support implementation of the national 988 number.
Action 6: Improve the Quality, Timeliness, and Use of Suicide-Related Data
6.1 Increase access to near real-time data related to suicide.
6.2 Improve the quality of data on causes of death.
6.3 Expand the accessibility and use of existing federal data systems that include data on suicide attempts and ideation.
6.4 Improve coordination and sharing of suicide-related data across federal, state, and local levels.
6.5 Use multiple data sources to identify groups at risk and to inform action.