National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
Suicide is preventable. However, suicide prevention is not easy. Suicide prevention requires courage to combat vulnerability, caring to combat extreme pain, and determination to combat apathy. Successful suicide prevention also requires knowledge about suicide risk, available treatments and resources, and procedures for maintaining safety.
At PHCoE, we work year-round to ensure that we are informed of the latest suicide-related research and DoD- and VA-based suicide prevention efforts and programs. For the month of September, we are taking special care to disseminate best and/or evidence-based practices for suicide prevention. You can find detailed information on suicide-related screening and treatment in the suicide section of the website. We hope to increase your knowledge about suicide prevention so that you will feel empowered to be there for someone in your unit, service, workplace, home, or community.
Follow us this month on Facebook and Twitter for daily content and graphics related to suicide prevention.
Suicide Prevention Blogs
PHCoE Clinician’s Corner Blogs
- Sept. 5: Chaplains and Confidentiality of Suicide-related Communication: Are There Limits?
- Sept. 11: Basic Steps of a Suicide Risk Assessment for Providers Serving Military Populations
- Sept. 18: Getting Left of the Boom; Reducing the Availability of Lethal Means Before a Crisis Starts
- Sept. 25: Following Up with Suicidal Patients: Preparation is Key
- Sept. 29: Just the Facts: Understanding the Patterns of Military Suicides
- May 1: Managing Suicide Risk and Access to Firearms: Guidelines for Providers
- Sept. 30, 2016: Help Your Patients and Yourself Feel Comfortable Talking About Suicide
- Learning from Tragedy, Part 1: Tracking Suicide in the U.S. Military
- Learning from Tragedy, Part 2: Why, How Suicide Happens
- Learning from Tragedy, Part 3: Caveats, Conclusions
T2 Blog Series: Learning from Tragedy
Defense Health Agency Blogs
Tools for Providers, Patients, Families
- For providers and patients: Safety Plan Worksheet
- For patients: Overcoming Suicidal Thoughts and Feelings
- For family members: Suicide Prevention Guide
- For providers: VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline Pocket Guide
- For providers: Evidence-based Management of Suicide Risk Behavior: A Guideline Perspective
Downloads
Read, download and share via social media these fast facts about suicide prevention.
Resources
- Real Warriors Campaign
- You Are Not Alone: Suicide Prevention Tools for Warriors
- Suicide Prevention Resources for Military Families
- You Are Your Friend’s Biggest Support
- Military Crisis Line
- Be There Peer Support
- Operation Live Well
- Veterans Health Administration Suicide Prevention
- Defense Suicide Prevention Office
- Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS)
- Military OneSource
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
- American Association of Suicidology (AAS)