Suicide is the second leading cause of death for people age 10-34 nationwide, claiming nearly 50,000 lives in 2023, with more than a million other people attempting it.
Rachael Vitale, Hope Network Program Director for Behavioral Health Grants says these numbers highlight the urgency of prevention efforts.
“Most suicide attempts occur in the first hour after that crisis mentality begins so if you could have a conversation, if you can delay action or further thought then you're more likely to help that person navigate through that crisis and end up on the other side,”
The Zero Suicide Initiative works with professionals to rethink their methods, sharing better follow-up strategies and updated research.
For instance, there’s an outdated mindset that asking an at-risk person about suicide might make them more likely to consider it.
“It’s a myth. When you ask that question, ‘are you thinking about killing yourself; do you want to go to sleep and never wake up?’ it really gives them a space to share everything that's been going on in their head. It really reduces the anxiety there and it just creates an open floor for communication.”
Vitale says sharing prevention methods with everyone, not just professionals, is critical.
“Because chances are a person in that crisis situation is going to encounter a friend, a family member, a person in the general public before they're going to encounter a mental health professional, and having the skills to help that person navigate crisis is something that we are hoping to teach everyone in the state of Michigan.”
Hope Network is hosting free virtual training events this month, listed on its website and social media.
The trainings offered include:
- Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) is a 75 minute gatekeeping training to learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade, and refer someone to help.
- Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an 8-hour, evidence-based, early-intervention course that teaches participants about mental health and substance use challenges.
- Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk (AMSR) is a full day or half day training focused on a research-informed risk formulation model that helps health and behavioral health professionals feel confident navigating challenging conversations and offers key strategies for providing compassionate care to people at risk for suicide.
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