About Zero Suicide
The foundational belief of Zero Suicide is that suicide deaths for individuals under care within health and behavioral health systems are preventable. It presents both a bold goal and an aspirational challenge. Zero Suicide encompasses seven core goals to:
- LEAD - Create a leadership-driven, safety-oriented culture committed to dramatically reducing suicide among people under care. Include survivors of suicide attempts and suicide loss in leadership and planning roles.
- TRAIN - Systematically screen of all patients to assess suicide risk among those receiving care within the health and behavioral health care system. Developing a competent workforce via system-wide, comprehensive, and timely suicide care training.
- IDENTIFY - Systematically identify and assess suicide risk among people receiving care.
- ENGAGE - Ensure every individual has a pathway to care that is both timely and adequate to meet his or her needs. Include collaborative safety planning and restriction of lethal means. Ensure every individual has a pathway to care that is both timely and adequate to meet his or her needs. Include collaborative safety planning and restriction of lethal means.
- TREAT - Implementing effective, evidence-based treatments that directly target suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
- TRANSITION - Providing continuous contact and support, especially after acute care.
- IMPROVE - Applying a data-driven quality improvement approach to inform system changes that will lead to improved patient outcomes and better care for those at risk.
