Suicide Prevention Toolkit
We are committed to zero suicides. We recognize the important role you play in our beneficiaries’ lives through their visits to your practice. We are committed to partnering with you by offering resources to help integrate suicide prevention strategies into your appointments with patients.
Suicide Prevention Websites
In addition to the resources below, we encourage you to explore the resources on these websites for a deeper dive into suicide prevention techniques you can implement in your practice.
- Zero Suicide Initiative – The Zero Suicide Initiative is a commitment to suicide prevention in health and behavioral health care systems.
- Suicide Prevention Resource Center – The Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) is the nation’s only federally supported resource center devoted to advancing the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)– The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation.
- VA-DOD Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) for Patients at Risk for Suicide – This website helps translate clinical recommendations into tangible strategies by providing a roadmap and resources for how to apply them to the service members and Veterans you serve.
Suicide Screening and Assessments
Safety Interventions
| Topic | Resources |
|---|---|
Safety Plan Education | After a comprehensive suicide risk assessment, a patient who is deemed to have a high risk of suicide should develop a safety plan. A safety plan helps your patients list coping strategies and sources of support they can use before or during a suicidal crisis. Help your patients make a plan: Get training:
|
Lethal Means Education | When a patient is deemed to have a high risk of suicide, you can work with them and their loved ones to limit their access to any firearms or other lethal means. Learn more: Get training: |
Therapies
| Topic | Resources |
|---|---|
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Suicide Prevention | Learn more:
Get training: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Training (Beck Institute) |
Dialectical Behavior Therapy | Learn more:
Get training:
Dialectical Behavior Training Certification (Dialectical Behavior Therapy National Certification and Accreditation Association) |