Development of Effective National Suicide Prevention Strategy and Practice

Rationale:
Around 40, mostly high income, countries have developed national suicide prevention strategies which provide a structural framework to support the delivery of a comprehensive and integrated national response to suicidal behaviour (suicide and non-fatal self-harm). The adoption of a national suicide prevention strategy:

• indicates government’s clear recognition of suicidal behaviour as a priority public health issue and commitment to its prevention and reduction
• provides leadership and guidance about evidence-informed activities and their evaluation
• identifies key partners who are accountable for specific tasks, and promotes effective collaboration and coordination
• identifies crucial gaps in legislation, service provision and data collection
• indicates the scale of necessary human and financial resources
• shapes advocacy, awareness raising and media communications
• proposes a robust monitoring and evaluation framework
• provides a context for a research agenda on suicidal behaviour and its prevention/reduction.

The World Health Organization (WHO) encourages all its members to take effective action to prevent suicidal behaviour, but recognises that there is no one way forward: “[t]he steps a country should take next will depend on where the country is on the way towards suicide prevention” (WHO, 2014: 66). Countries that have relatively comprehensive national response are advised to focus on evaluation and improvement, updating knowledge with new data, and emphasising effectiveness and efficiency. Countries with existing suicide prevention activities should identify what is already in place and where there are gaps that need to be filled. Countries yet to undertake suicide prevention activities should concentrate on identifying and engaging stakeholders, developing activities where there is greatest need or where resources already exist, and improving surveillance.

IASP and WHO recognise the need to provide expert support to countries, especially low and middle income countries [LaMICs], where suicide preven- tion action has not yet been initiated or where activities are being under- taken in a non-strategic and uncoordinated manner.

World Health Organization (WHO) (2014) Preventing suicide. A global imperative. WHO: Geneva.

Objectives:

1. Establish an active forum of international experts who will support the development of effective suicide prevention strategy and practice in countries (especially LaMICs) where, historically, there has been little or no suicide prevention activity.
2. To supplement WHO MiNDbank, develop and maintain an online resource library which will include guidance on evidence-informed suicide prevention interventions (both top-down and bottom-up approaches), evaluation protocols and good practice manuals.
3. Support the WHO in the development of guidance for establishing, implementing and evaluating suicide prevention in different country contexts.
4. In collaboration with the WHO, governments, international and national NGOs, support and mentor communities, regions and countries to develop, implement and evaluate suicide prevention programmes (strategic and operational elements).