Highlights
Suicide is a complex issue – not caused by one factor and not solved by a single intervention. There are several important questions to answer before you begin planning your campaign.
Looking inward
The fact that you are reading this playbook means that something has led you and your team to suicide prevention. Your organization's mandate may make it clear what gap you aim to fill in the suicide prevention landscape. Take some time to consider what unique contribution you can make.
Answer the following questions in Exercise 1 in the Brainstorm Book:
- What is the specific role/mandate of our organization in addressing suicide?
- What is already happening that our work can add to?
- What unique niche can we fill that no one else is working on or one that we can contribute to?
- What other individuals or organizations should we consider partnering with?
These questions will help you and your team:
- Gain clarity about the specific problem you wish to address
- Identify the best strategies to address that problem
- Understand how the communications campaign fits into the broader landscape of suicide prevention work.
Examples of organizations and existing grant programs:
- State and local health departments who may receive grants from
- CDC's Comprehensive Suicide Prevention program and Core State Injury Prevention Program
- SAMHSA's Garrett Lee Smith State program
- CDC's Comprehensive Suicide Prevention program and Core State Injury Prevention Program
- Colleges and Universities who may receive grants from
- CDC's Injury Control Research Centers
- SAMHSA's Garrett Lee Smith Campus initiative
- CDC's Injury Control Research Centers
- Tribes or Tribal organizations who may receive grants from
- CDC's Tribal Suicide Prevention program
- SAMHSA's Garrett Lee Smith Tribal program, Native Connections program
- Indian Health Service's Substance Abuse and Suicide Prevention projects
- CDC's Tribal Suicide Prevention program
- Hospitals that are using the Zero Suicide framework.
- Law enforcement or community organizations who may receive grants from
- The Department of Justice's Law Enforcement Mental Health, Wellness Act program, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force program, Justice and Mental Health Collaboration program, Connect and Protect: Law Enforcement Behavioral Health Response program, Improving Adult and Youth Crisis Stabilization and Community Reentry program, Supporting Vulnerable and At-Risk Youth Transitioning Out of Foster Care program, and Strategies to Support Children Exposed to Violence program.
- The Department of Justice's Law Enforcement Mental Health, Wellness Act program, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force program, Justice and Mental Health Collaboration program, Connect and Protect: Law Enforcement Behavioral Health Response program, Improving Adult and Youth Crisis Stabilization and Community Reentry program, Supporting Vulnerable and At-Risk Youth Transitioning Out of Foster Care program, and Strategies to Support Children Exposed to Violence program.
- Schools who may receive grants from
- The Education Department's Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration and School-based Mental Health Service program.
- The Education Department's Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration and School-based Mental Health Service program.
This is not an exhaustive list. Other federal agencies with suicide prevention information and actions can be found in the Federal Action Plan which accompanies the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention.