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Healthcare-Based Prevention Resources

Zero Suicide in Healthcare

Zero Suicide in Healthcare is a way to improve suicide care within healthcare systems.  The foundational belief of Zero Suicide is that suicide deaths for individuals under the care of medical providers are preventable; studies have shown the majority of people who died by suicide saw a healthcare provider in the year prior to their death.  For healthcare systems dedicated to improving patient safety and stability, Zero Suicide offers an aspirational challenge and practical framework for system-wide transformation toward safer suicide care.  Zero Suicide is based on the realization that people experiencing suicidal thoughts and urges often fall through the cracks in a sometimes fragmented health care system. There is an opportunity for health care systems to make a real difference by transforming the care patients receive.

Current Suicide Trends

In Oklahoma:

  • Suicide is the 9th leading cause of death in Oklahoma.2
  • In 2020, 869 Oklahomans died by suicide.2
  • The age adjusted suicide rate in 2020 was 22.2 per 100,000 individuals, higher than the national rate.2
  • On average, one person died by suicide every 11 hours in Oklahoma.2
  • In 2020, firearms accounted for 61.9% of all suicide deaths.2

In the United States:

  • Suicide is the 12th leading cause of death.1
  • In 2020, 45,979 Americans died by suicide; an estimated 1.2M suicide attempts were made.1
  • The age-adjusted suicide rate in 2020 was 13.48 per 100,000 individuals.1
  • On average, there are 130 suicides per day.1
  • In 2020, firearms accounted for 52.83% of all suicide deaths.1

93% of adults surveyed in the U.S. think suicide can be prevented.1

1 American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

2 Center for Disease Control

Zero Suicide Research

  • The Relationship Between Suicidal Behaviors and Zero Suicide Organizational Best Practices in Outpatient Mental Health Clinics
  • Efficacy of the Zero Suicide framework in reducing recurrent suicide attempts: cross-sectional and time-to-recurrent-event analyses

 

Zero Suicide Outcome Stories

  • Zero Suicide Outcomes One-Pager
  • Zero Suicide Case Studies

Zero Suicide Foundational Principles

  • Core Values: the belief and commitment that suicide can be eliminated in a population under care by improving service access and quality and through practicing continuous quality improvement.
  • Systems Management: taking systematic steps across systems of care to create a culture that no longer finds suicide acceptable, setting aggressive but achievable goals to eliminate suicide attempts and deaths, and organizing service delivery and support accordingly.
  • Evidence-Based Clinical Care Practices: adopting practices that research shows reduce suicide deaths and behaviors and that are delivered through the entire system of care and that emphasize productive patient-staff interactions.

Engage all individuals at-risk of suicide using a suicide management plan

Pathways to Care

 

Unique Settings

 

Safety Planning

 

Research Articles

 

Special Populations

Native Americans & Alaska Native

 

Military & Veterans

 

Children & Youth

 

LGBTQ

Treat suicidal thoughts and behaviors directly using evidence-based treatments

Treatment Resources

 

CALM: Counseling on Access to Lethal Means

Reducing access to lethal means, such as firearms and medication, can determine whether a person at risk for suicide lives or dies. This free online course focuses on how to reduce access to the methods people use to kill themselves. It covers how to: (1) identify people who could benefit from lethal means counseling, (2) ask about their access to lethal methods, and (3) work with them—and their families—to reduce access. While this course is primarily designed for mental health professionals, others who work with people at risk for suicide, like social service professionals and health care providers, may also benefit from taking it.

Learn More

Patient Facing Resources