Many organizations and advocacy groups try to reach out and provide information, assistance, and resources to clinicians, patients, families and friends of those who struggle with suicidality. Their offerings are many and varied. In aggregate these sites are a doorway into a rich array of thoughtful assistance and useful ideas.
Please note: many of these resources are or contain links to crisis hotlines or crisis chats. Although they are commonly advertised as being “confidential”, many will break this ‘confidentiality’ and send law enforcement to a suicidal persons’ door if they believe the person to whom they are interacting is at a high risk of attempting suicide. The end result sometimes is an involuntary stay at a mental health facility for 3 days. Using these resources means risking this potential disruption to a suicidal person’s life, which can cause further ramifications to their work, family responsibilities, and social life.
Suicidality Facts
Suicidality Prevention
Resources for Clinicians
Resources for Patients
Resources for Friends and Family
Other Resources
Suicidality Facts
World Health Organization Suicide Prevention – Contains information about international suicide statistics and the First World Health Organization Suicide Report.
Centers for Disease Control Suicide Prevention Page – Contains various publications and resources about suicide, including the national suicide data and statistics.
Centre for Suicide Prevention (CSP) – Began in 1981 as the Suicide Information and Education Centre (SIEC), the Centre for Suicide Prevention (CSP) contains multiple resources with information on suicide. The CSP contains the world’s largest English Language collection of suicide-related materials. The website offers facts about suicide, suicide prevention information, details about training workshops, and links to crisis centers across Canada.
Suicidality Prevention
American Association of Suicidology (AAS) – Has links to other suicide prevention websites, information on suicide, suicide facts, warning signs of suicide, crisis centers and support groups. It has a bookstore for books on suicide prevention, assessment, support and treatment. It is involved in suicide research, clinical services and providing support for families and friends of those who died by suicide.
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) – Raises money for research on suicide prevention. Provides information on how to apply for a research grant on suicide prevention. It has useful information on suicide statistics and how to deal with the media on issues relating to suicide.
Hope Squad – A school based peer-to-peer suicide prevention program that trains students in suicide prevention, intervention and postvention. Hope Squads are in the elementary, middle and high schools, including a two-year program for colleges. The Hope Squad Program trains members to understand suicide warning signs, how to communicate with a peer struggling with mental health concerns, and when to contact adults with concerns about a peer’s potential suicidal behavior. The Hope Squad Program is based around the “Circles4Hope” model wherein communities unite to prevent suicide. Since 2004, over 5,000 students have been referred for help and in 2017-2018 school year, over 7,500 Hope Squad members will be supporting peers. Hope Squads, which started in Utah, are now in nine states and in Canada.
Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program – The Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program is focused on reducing stigma and enabling communication about suicidality. It has many chapters in the United States and 5 international chapters. The site has various resources for those experiencing suicidality and is well known for the Ask4Help Cards, which a suicidal person can give to another to communicate that they are experiencing a suicidal crisis.
Army G – 1: Army Suicide Prevention Program – This site provides various resources and information about suicide prevention. It is updated with information about military programs and initiatives. It also contains information about suicide prevention training and contact information for programs specifically designed to prevent suicide among members of the military and their families.
International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) – Provides information from around the world on suicide prevention. Has an official relationship with the World Health Organization. It has an official journal (Crisis: The Journal of Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention). It is associated with an annual international Congress on Suicide (IASP) and provides information about upcoming and past meetings. It reports on awards for research in the field of suicidology.
Surgeon General’s Call to Action on Suicide Prevention 1999 – Surgeon General David Satcher’s 1999 call to action improved awareness of suicide prevention in the USA. It called for a national strategy for suicide prevention. It improved media and public awareness of the problem.
Resources for Clinicians
Training Institute for Suicide Assessment (TIAS) – The website of the Training Institute for Suicide Assessment is a very good resource for those seeking training in suicide assessment by Shawn Shea MD. Dr. Shea is the author of the most widely used books in the field of suicide assessment and clinical interviewing in mental health. It is an excellent book, full of humanity and clinical wisdom, by a very caring, compassionate clinician, who gives frequent workshops around the United States, on suicide assessment and clinical interviewing technique. He offers training workshops, which can be arranged by contacting him through this site.
Western States Conference on Suicide (WSCOS) – The Western States Conference on Suicide brings together leaders and clinicians in WA, ID, MT, OR, NV, UT and WY to discuss updates about suicide prevention efforts and measures affecting the geographic areas of the Pacific NW. This conference aims to give participants a better knowledge of how they impact prevention, of what Zero Suicide means, of models of success and resiliency, and of how each can implement facets from the conference into their own lives and professions.
Science of Suicidality (SOS) – The Science of Suicidality (SOS) is a publication of Harm Research Press which highlights important publications on suicidality research. SOS is currently published monthly with links to academic publications of interest.
Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) – Contains information on suicide prevention, webinars, and a library primarily focused at clinicians and other health care professionals. It contains a best practices registry including evidence-based programs, consensus statements from experts, and adherence to standards.
Sudden Loss: Crisis Management in the Schools – An ERIC / CAPS Digest – Contains information for educators on how to handle the aftermath of suicide in a school setting. It has helpful insights for those working with children. Much of this information can be adapted for use in other settings.
Resources for Patients
International Suicide Prevention WIKI – The International Suicide Prevention Wiki (ISP Wiki) is a worldwide directory of suicide prevention hotlines, online chat, text-lines, and resources.
Suicide…Read This First – There is much here of interest to those who are struggling with suicidal thoughts. It provides online support groups and links to other websites of interest. It encourages and makes it easy for suicidal people to seek help. It provides information about self-help books and where you can find these books.
Content About Suicide @ The Mighty – The Mighty frequently has content about suicidality aimed at helping suicidal patients and their loved ones and at helping to provide information about suicidality. One post lists 23 messages from people who have been suicidal. In another, they teamed up with PostSecret to collect images and messages for those thinking about suicide. Most of their posts also offer information about crisis hotlines and crisis texts.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – Provides a crisis chat and crisis hotline phone number that redirects to a national network of 163 crisis centers across the United States.
The Icarus Project – The Icarus Project is an online, mutual-aid community seeking to overcome the limitations of the labels of mental illness. It offers support forums and resources, including a crisis toolkit, for those with mental illness.
Resources for Friends and Family
SA\VE – Suicide Awareness\Voices of Education – The focus of this site is in providing support to families and friends of those who died by suicide. It does this through improving public awareness and education. It provides information on how to answer questions about suicide, how to tell children about a suicide, what to do if someone you know is suicidal, and how to start a support group.
American Psychiatric Association – Suicide Prevention – Contains basic information about suicide and resources for patients and their families.
Rafi’s Red Racing Car: Explaining Suicide and Grief to Young Children – This illustrated children’s book was written to help young children come to terms with the death of a family member by suicide. The story honestly describes Rafi’s father’s death by suicide and Rafi’s grief (confusion, anxiety, anger, sadness). The book ends with a thoughtful, clear guide for parents and professionals on how to help a child heal from the grief of losing a loved one to suicide.
Other Resources
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) – Contains informational resources on mental illness and has support groups across the United States for those with mental illness and their families.
National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) – Researches mental health issues and provides information and outreach programs. Contains links for researchers to apply for grants and funding.
National Anxiety Foundation – The National Anxiety Foundation offers informational resources on anxiety and panic disorder. It includes book recommendations and links to other sources.
International Society for Bipolar Disorders (ISBD) – The International Society for Bipolar Disorders offers informational resources on bipolar disorders. It has chapters in 23 countries. The website contains resources and links for patients and advocates.
Harm Research Institute – The Harm Research Institute is a volunteer organization that brings together those with clinical experience and personal experience in harm-related conditions to study harm phenomena. It contains multiple suicidality assessment scales and other information on suicidality disorders.
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