Upstream youth suicide prevention expert panel meeting summary

In April 2012 a panel of 16 experts, including survivors of suicide loss, practitioners, prevention researchers, and representatives of special populations (i.e. tribal communities) and federal agencies met to evaluate the rationale and feasibility of expanding the current youth suicide prevention paradigm to include a focus on “upstream” approaches and to outline initial action steps that could advance such an expansion. Upstream prevention approaches reduce risk factors or enhance protective processes that influence the likelihood that a young person will become suicidal (i.e., earlier or “upstream” in the pathways that lead to suicide). This document provides a brief summary of that meeting and is intended for anyone who has an interest in youth suicide prevention.