U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Office of the Surgeon General (OSG)—in collaboration with the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention (Action Alliance) released The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Implement the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention. This new report outlines the actions that communities and individuals can take to reduce the rates of suicide and help improve resilience. The goal of the Call to Action is to broaden perceptions of suicide, who is affected, and of the many factors that can affect suicide risk.
The Surgeon General’s Call to Action summarizes the protective factors that can help prevent suicide. These include:
- Help other people build life skills (e.g., coping, problem solving) and resilience
- Increase social connectedness and support
- Identify and support people at risk
- Support lethal means safety
- Support access to effective care
- Seek help, support, and care when experiencing suicidal thoughts
- Support individuals who have been affected by a suicide attempt or death
It’s important to note that suicide is not only a mental health problem, but is also a public health problem. And while progress has been made in raising awareness around mental health and suicide prevention in the past few years, unfortunately, suicide is still heavily stigmatized.
For immediate help with thoughts of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 for free resources.
