Learn how to prevent suicide in your family and community.
Why is this toolkit needed?
Suicide rates have been increasing for two decades now. And during this time Washington’s suicide rate has remained higher than the national average. Meanwhile, since 2020, the overwhelming impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rates of anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, attempts and deaths has been widely documented, for example in this March 2022 announcement by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Youth suicide was on the rise in the years before the COVID-19, along with anxiety and depression, but the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath triggered an emergency in youth mental health, as highlighted by the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Children’s Hospital Association, the US Surgeon-General and others.
Post-COVID pandemic, many of us remain at greater risk of loneliness, anxiety, depression and suicide, but some people may be more vulnerable because of their age, race, sexual orientation, gender, job or family situation.
Suicide Prevention Toolkit Overview
This online toolkit includes steps you can take right now to make your home and community safer, and what to do if you’re faced with supporting someone who may be considering suicide. It includes:
- Online suicide prevention and mental health trainings and webinars
- All Patients Safe suicide prevention training for healthcare providers
- Forefront Suicide Prevention LEARN® Steps overview and frequently asked questions
- Resources for families and schools
- Videos about suicide prevention, building connection, and supporting those in mental health crisis
See below for all elements.