Suicide Prevention Month - September

In recognition of September 2024 as Suicide Prevention Month, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health, and Human Services (HHS), Xavier Becerra, and Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, Miriam Delphin-Rittmon, recently issued statements. Suicide Prevention Month is a time to remember the lives lost to suicide, the millions who struggle with suicidal thoughts and the individuals, families, and communities impacted. The 2024 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention, released earlier this year, includes several priority actions to which AHRQ has committed.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) posted a new blog on how to support Suicide Prevention Month efforts as well as a web page with other resources, including  a social media toolkit and several upcoming events. Other resources have also been posted by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIH), National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), and 988 Lifeline website. Interested parties may also participate in the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Out of Darkness Walks.

Upcoming events include:

• September 10, 2024 - Suicide Prevention Strategies for Organizations Working with Children, Youth, and Families
• September 11, 2024 – Livestream Event: Suicide Prevention in Health Care Settings
• September 25, 2024 – Answering the Call: Empowering Communities to Prevent Suicide Among Black Youth
• Recorded Webinar - Suicide in Later Life: Clinical and Public Health Perspective 
• Recorded Webinar - Social Connection is Medicine and Hope: Strategies to Reduce Social Isolation & Loneliness to Prevent Suicide in Later Life 
• Recorded Webinar - 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Considerations for Older Adults to Prevent Suicide in Later Life 

Additional Resources Include:

• AHRQ Academy Literature Collection References on Suicide
• AHRQ Academy Substance Use Tools & Resources on Suicide
• Equity Focused Suicide Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention Resources for LGBTQ+ Populations (PDF – 1812 KB)
• Latines and Suicide Prevention Resource Guide (PDF – 1618 KB)
• Suicide Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention for African Americans: An Equity-focused Review of Resources (PDF – 512 KB)
• Equity Focused Suicide Prevention Resources for Older Adults (PDF – 783 KB)
• Suicide and Older Adult Resources (PDF - 400 KB)

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. To learn how to get support for mental health, drug, and alcohol issues, visit FindSupport.gov. To locate treatment facilities or providers, visit FindTreatment.gov or call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 800-662-HELP (4357).