 |
Background
Suicide is a serious public health problem. In 2004, suicide was the 11th leading cause of death in the United States (4th leading cause of death for adults between the ages of 18 and 65). A person dies by suicide about every 16 minutes in the United States, and it is estimated that a suicide attempt is made once every minute. 90% of all people who die by suicide have a diagnosable psychiatric disorder at the time of their death.
In 1999, the US Surgeon General released A Call to Action to Prevent Suicide which resulted in the development of the National Strategy to Prevent Suicide. Each Military Service has a Suicide Prevention Program which is included below.
The National Suicide Prevention Initiative (NSPI) is a multi project effort to
reduce suicide led by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration's Center for Mental Health Services. One of its projects is the
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline which is a 24-hour, toll-free suicide
prevention service available to anyone in suicidal crisis. 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
To ensure veterans with emotional crises have round-the-clock access to trained
professionals, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is partnering with the
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to operate a national suicide prevention hotline
for veterans. Veterans can call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) and press "1" to reach the
VA hotline, which will be staffed by mental health professionals in Canandaigua,
N.Y. who will work closely with local VA mental health providers to help callers.
Primary care providers play a significant role in identification and treatment of patients with an elevated suicide risk. Information is provided below to assist primary care providers in this role.
Table of Contents
Clinical Guidance
- Suicide Assessment Five-step Evaluation and Triage (SAFE-T), 2007
(SAFE-T is a suicide assessment protocol which was developed through a joint collaboration with Screening for Mental Health and the Suicide Prevention Resource Center and is designed to help clinicians, specifically mental health professionals, identify risk and protective factors for suicide, learn the steps in conducting a suicide inquiry and determine the patient's risk level for suicide, providing a range of possible interventions. The protocol also highlights the importance of documentation.)
- A Resource Guide for Implementing the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) 2007 Patient Safety Goals on Suicide
Developed by Screening for Mental Health, Inc. to facilitate implementation of the Joint Commission patient safety goal on suicide.
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: After An Attempt, A Guide for Medical Providers in the Emergency Department Taking Care of Suicide Attempt Survivors, DHHS Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2006.
Provides quick tips to enhance Emergency Department care for people who have attempted suicide, and also provides information on patient discharge and resources about suicide for medical professionals, patients, and their families.
- American Psychiatric Association (APA) Assessment and Treatment of Patients With Suicidal Behaviors Practice Guideline
- APA Suicidal Behaviors Practice Guideline and Resources,
Psychiatryonline Web Page with APA Practice Guideline and associated clinical tools and related links.
- Review Article, Application of The APA Practice Guidelines on Suicide to Clinical Practice, CNS Spectr 11:6, June 2006
Presents charts from The American Psychiatric Association Practice Guideline for the Assessment and Treatment of Patients with Suicidal Behaviors, part of the Practice Guidelines for the Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders Compendium, and a summary of the assessment information in a format that can be used in routine clinical practice. Target audience is neurologists and psychiatrists.
- APA Practice Guideline Provides Recommendations for Assessing and Treating Patients With Suicidal Behaviors, Psychiatric Annals 34-5, May 2004
Reviews the American Psychiatric Association Practice Guideline for the Assessment and Treatment of Patients with Suicidal Behaviors.
- APA Practice Guideline for the Assessment and Treatment of Patients With Suicidal Behaviors, 2003
Based on available evidence and clinical consensus, the Guideline offers recommendations to help psychiatrists in assessing and treating adult patients with suicidal behaviors.
- Best Practices Registry (BPR) For Suicide Prevention (The BPR for suicide prevention is a collaboration between the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). It is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The purpose of the BPR is to identify, review, and disseminate information about best practices that address specific objectives of the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention.)
- Recommendations for Inpatient and Residential Patients Known to be at Elevated Risk for Suicide, American Association of Suicidology (AAS), 15 Nov 05
Developed to enhance the provision of care in inpatient and residential facilities and in particular to promote, when possible, the incorporation of families as meaningful members of the treatment team.
- Approaching the Suicidal Patient, American Family Physician Vol 68 No 9, ! Nov 03
Written to try to help family physicians prevent suicide by providing a strategy for assessing risk factors and recommending interventions that fit the existing level of risk.
- Suicide Guidelines, Risk Management Foundation (RMF), 22 Aug 03
RMF has developed guidelines with Harvard medical faculty over the past 10 years to assist primary care and mental health professionals in their decision-making. These documents address the process of identifying or managing at-risk patients in a hospital or outpatient setting, as well as collaboration issues among mental health and primary care clinicians.
- Air Force Guide for Managing Suicidal Behavior Strategies, Resources and Tools, 2004.
Developed to help Air Force mental health staff deliver high-quality, evidenced-based care to suicidal individuals.
- Screening for Suicide Risk: A Systematic Evidence Review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, May 04. Systematic review of the literature regarding whether screening for suicide risk in primary care results in decreased morbidity, mortality, or both.
- US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) Screening for Suicide Risk, May 04
- VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for Management of Major Depressive Disorder in Adults, May 09 (Appendix 3, Suicidality, provides recommendations for assessing the potentially suicidal patient.)
- Preventing Suicide - A Resource Guide for General Physicians, World Health Organization (WHO), 2000
This booklet is one of a series of resources prepared as part of WHO's Suicide Prevention Campaign (SUPRE).
- Evaluation and Treatment of Patients with Suicidal Ideation. American Family Physician, 56(6), 15 Mar 99 Provides guidelines for primary care providers in evaluating and treating patients with suicidal ideation.
Policies and Directives
DoD/Joint Forces
- DoD Suicide Event Report (DoDSER) 2008 Data Entry Web Site (The DoDSER was developed to examine the causes and circumstances of suicide related behaviors among U.S. Service Members. It standardizes the data collected on all suicide events and is an integral part of the DoD's Suicide Prevention Program.)
Army
- Army Directive 2010-01, Conduct of AR 15-6 Investigations into Suspected Suicides and Requirements for Suicide Incident Family Briefs, 26 Mar 10
- Army G1, Suicide Prevention Web Page
- USAPHC(Prov) (Formerly USACHPPM) Suicide Prevention Resources Web Page
- Hooah4Health Suicide Prevention Web Page
- Army G1, Army Suicide Prevention - A Guide for Installations and Units, 15 Mar 08
- AR 600-63, Army Health Promotion, Rapid Action Revision 20 Sep 09 (Paragraph 4-4 Suicide Prevention and Surveillance)
- DA Pam 600-24, Health Promotion, Risk Reduction, and Suicide Prevention, 17 Dec 09
Air Force
Navy/Marines
Coast Guard
Veterans Administration
Federal
Implementation Tools
Brochures and Fact Sheets
Other Related Information
Education and Training
- Army Suicide Prevention Video: Shoulder to Shoulder: "I Will Never Quit on Life", Jun 10 (Features vignettes and testimonials of members of the Army Family who received help for psychological distress or who assisted an individual in need.)
- 2010 DoD/VA Suicide Prevention Conference, Jan 10 (Presentations)
- MHS Media Room, 2009 DoD/VA Suicide Prevention Conference Jan 09
- Suicide Prevention International, Coping with the Loss of a Patient to Suicide Presentation, 2008
- 2008 Military Suicide Prevention Conference, Apr 08
- 2007 Military Suicide Prevention Conference (Slide presentations from the conference.)
- EndingSuicide.com (Online Education on Suicide Prevention for Professionals - supported by a contract from National Institute of Mental Health)
- Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SRPC) Training Institute (The SPRC Training Institute provides an array of curricula designed to build capacity for suicide prevention in state, tribal, local, and community-based organizations.)
- Deployment Health Clinical Training Series Module, Suicide, Jan 04
- PowerPoint Presentation Summarizing the APA Suicide Assessment Guidelines, University of Michigan Colloquium Series 19 Dec 03
- Suicide Risk Assessment Workshop Video and Slides, University of Michigan Comprehensive Depression Center, 2003
- VA Satellite Broadcast -"Suicide, Recognizing Risks Across Treatment Settings" (90 minutes) (Can be ordered from US Army MEDCOM Quality Management Office Web site Shopping Cart, Depression Toolkit Item Number DE-000--01-08)
Related Links
- Federal
- Veterans Affairs Suicide Hotline (To ensure veterans with emotional crises have round-the-clock access to trained professionals, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is partnering with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to operate a national suicide prevention hotline for veterans. Veterans can call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) and press "1" to reach the VA hotline, which will be staffed by mental health professionals in Canandaigua, N.Y. who will work closely with local VA mental health providers to help callers.)
- VA Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC) on Suicide and Suicidality in Veterans (MIRECCS were established by Congress with the goal of bringing best practices in mental health care into the clinical settings of the VA. They conduct research and produce clinical educational programs.)
- Army Behavioral Health, Suicide Prevention Web Page
- USACHPPM Behavioral and Social Health Outcomes Program (Mission is to establish and operate a central behavioral and social health resource for the Army; analyze, interpret, and disseminate information regarding the status, trends, and determinants of the psychological health of America’s Army; identify and evaluate obstacles to Soldier readiness and establish a basis for preventive action. Includes a Suicide Analysis Cell to establish and maintain a registry of all Army suicides and suicidal behaviors and provide immediate actionable intelligence to senior Army Leaders.)
- CDC, Suicide Prevention Web Page
- National Institute of Mental Health Suicide Prevention Web Page
- National Library of Medicine MedLine Plus Suicide Web Page
- MEDCOM Directory of Suicide Prevention and Related Web Sites, Jun 02 (List of government agencies, voluntary associations, and private organizations that provide suicide prevention or information and resources to the general public and/or healthcare professionals.)
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (A 24-hour, toll-free suicide prevention service available to anyone in suicidal crisis. 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline grant is one component of the National Suicide Prevention Initiative (NSPI), a multiproject effort to reduce suicide led by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Center for Mental Health Services. )
- Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) (The SPRC was created in 2002 to fulfill Goal 4.8 of the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention, which called for “the development of a technical assistance and resource center to build capacity for states and communities to implement and evaluate suicide prevention programs.” SPRC is supported by a cooperative agreement from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA))
- Private
- American Association of Suicidology (A non-profit organization which promotes research, public awareness programs, public education, and training for professionals and volunteers. In addition, AAS serves as a national clearinghouse for information on suicide.)
- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
(A non-profit organization exclusively dedicated to understanding and preventing suicide through research and education, and to reaching out to people with mood disorders and those impacted by suicide.)
- American Psychological Association Suicide Web Page
- Mental Health America Suicide Web Page(Mental Health America (formerly known as the National Mental Health Association) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping all people live mentally healthier lives.)
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Suicide Web Page (NAMI is “the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving the lives of persons living with serious mental illness and their families.”)
- Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE)(A non-profit organization that was one of the nation's first organizations dedicated to the prevention of suicide and was a co-founding member of the National Council for Suicide Prevention.)
- Stop A Suicide Today(A program of Screening for Mental Health, Inc. which teaches how to recognize the signs of suicide in family members, friends and co-workers. It emphasizes the relationship between suicide and mental illness and the notion that a key step in reducing suicide is to get those in need into mental health treatment.)
- Suicide Prevention Action Network USA (SPAN USA) (A non-profit organization dedicated to preventing suicide through public education and awareness, community action and federal, state and local grassroots advocacy.)
- SPAN USA - State Suicide Information and Contacts (Provides information on suicide prevention plans and contacts for each state.)
- Lifeline Gallery: Stories of Hope and Recovery (Lifeline Gallery’s goal is to raise awareness about the effects of suicide, reduce stigma, connect people to emotional support and offer help. It is a project founded by the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Link2Health Solutions, Inc. which is a non-profit wholly owned subsidiary of the Mental Health Association of New York City.)
- TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS is a non-profit organization that is a front line resource for all who through war, illness, accident or suicide have lost a loved one serving in the Armed Forces. Its comprehensive services include a national network of peer-based emotional support, case work assistance, crisis intervention, and grief and trauma resources.)
- International
|
|
