Surgeon General Calls for Implementation of National Strategy for Suicide Prevention

A new report, entitled "The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Implement the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention," released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Office of the Surgeon General (OSG), outlines actions that communities and individuals can take to reduce suicide rates and improve resilience. Rates of suicide have risen more than 30% between 1999-2019, with more than 47,000 deaths from suicide in 2019 alone. The Call to Action is intended to acknowledge factors, both individual and environmental, that contribute to suicide and offer suicide prevention strategies.

The report details six broad action plans, including:

1. Activating a broad-based public health response to suicide.
2. Addressing upstream factors that impact suicide.
3. Ensuring lethal means safety.
4. Supporting adaption of evidence-based care for suicide risk.
5. Enhancing crisis care and care transitions.
6. Improving the quality, timeliness, and use of suicide-related data.

• Read the HHS press release

• Access the report

• View Mountain Plains MHTTC webinar on managing suicidal ideation during COVID-19