Much of the work of suicide prevention must occur at the community level, where human relationships breathe life into public policy. American communities are also home to scores of faith-based and secular initiatives that help reduce risk factors and promote protective factors associated with many of our most pressing social problems, including suicide.

David Satcher, MD., Ph.D., Surgeon General The National Strategy for Suicide Prevention. 2001

This site is for individuals, schools, coalitions, task forces, faith-based organizations, employers, health providers, and state and system leaders who are interested in taking action to prevent the tragic loss of life from suicide.

We lose thousands of Floridians every year to suicide. In 2005 Florida ranked 3rd highest in the nation for number of suicide fatalities. Florida had the 18th highest suicide rate in the nation.¹ In 2006, nearly twice as many people died from suicide as from homicide. Suicide was the 3rd leading cause of death among young people ages 15-24. Suicide was the 2nd leading cause of death for young adults ages 25-34. Although the elderly comprise only 12.4‰ of the U.S. population, they account for nearly 16% of all suicides, at a rate 3 times larger than the national average. ²

Within this site, you will find

• A flexible, end-to-end suicide prevention implementation process.
• Resources to assist you at each step of the implementation.
• A menu of suicide prevention activities (options for your community).
• Ideas for initiating and energizing suicide prevention efforts.
• Newsletters, media pieces, and other tools that may be adapted for your community.

A 2008 Florida Suicide Prevention Symposium presentation also provides an overview of the initiative. Click here for the PowerPoint presentation.

This site is a collaborative effort between the Florida Statewide Office of Suicide Prevention, the Florida Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council, and the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute at the University of South Florida.