Menu of Suicide Prevention Actions

What Health Providers can do...

Learn and apply screening methods to assess for suicide risk and make referrals for treatment.

Support the requirement of insurance companies to cover the cost of treatment for drug and alcohol addiction as they would for type II diabetes (as an example).

Establish support groups run by trained therapists in hospitals for the purpose of assisting families of people who attempt suicide.

Display or share information on suicide prevention, suicide warning signs, and a list of support groups.

Train ALL medical personnel to handle the despair of seriously or terminally ill patients (including veterans and the elderly), which currently is left up to the untrained and overwrought caregiver/family member.

Highlight the role of substance abuse in suicide.

Share causative factors in children early on as a preventive measure.

Help to increase awareness of early onset disorders like mental health, substance abuse, and learning difficulties and the link to later suicidal thoughts, or ideations and attempts.

Implement screening methods to identify who needs intervention.