Behavioral Health Care
Because suicide is closely linked to mental health and substance use disorders, behavioral health care providers play a key role in treating suicide risk and related behavioral health problems. Providers who work in health care settings like primary care practices and emergency departments are also essential to treating patients at risk for suicide. By offering patients high-quality suicide care, they can reduce suicide risk among some of the most vulnerable individuals.
Providers in other health care settings are also essential to treating patients at risk for suicide.
Why Address Suicide Prevention
- Treating suicide risk directly, not just as a symptom of an underlying condition, is considered safe suicide care.
- Inpatient hospitalization—often considered the first resort for patients at risk for suicide—is the most costly and restrictive option.
How Behavioral Health Care Providers Can Take Action
The best way to prevent suicide is to use a comprehensive approach that includes these key components:
- Train all staff in effective suicide care, the specific protocols to follow, and the delivery of collaborative suicide care
- Create agreements to accept referrals from other health care providers (primary care, hospitals)
- Ensure safe transitions of care
Learn More
- To learn more about safe and effective care for suicide risk, visit the Zero Suicide website.
- See the Recommended Resources below selected by SPRC personnel.
- See All Resources Related to Behavioral Health Care for a full list of materials, programs, trainings, and other information available from SPRC. Use the filters on the left to narrow your results.
- For more on other settings and groups, see our Settings and Populations pages.
Recommended Resources
Zero Suicide website
This website provides information, resources, and tools for implementing Zero Suicide.
R3 Report Issue 18: National Patient Safety Goal (NPSG) 15.01.01 for suicide prevention
The Joint Commission realized that suicide rates have not improved over the past decade and has issued updated requirem...
Suicide Screening and Assessment
This SPRC resource presents two approaches to evaluating suicide risk and links to resources.
...
Reformulating suicide risk formulation: From prediction to prevention
This article presents a model for conducting context-based rather than categorical (high-medium-low) suicide risk assessments.
Safety planning guide: A quick guide for clinicians
This quick guide for clinicians may be used to develop a safety plan - a prioritized written list of coping strategies ...
VA/DoD clinical practice guideline for assessment and management of patients at risk for suicide
This practice guideline was developed under the auspices of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and the Department of Defense (DoD).
All Resources Related to Behavioral Health Care
Displaying 217 results. Refine results using the filters on the left.
NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
LGBTQ Teens Often Struggle to Find Mental Health Care Tailored to Them
2023
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Fact Sheet/Issue Brief
Screening and Safety Planning With Adults at Risk of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and Suicide: An Issue Brief for Clinicians
2023
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NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
Mental Health Respite Facilities Are Filling Care Gaps in Over a Dozen States
2023
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NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
MASSACHUSETTS: Program at William James College Tries to Reduce Veteran Suicide by Focusing on Relationship to Guns
2023
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NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
Almost Half of Children Who Go to ER With Mental Health Crisis Don’t Get the Follow-Up Care They Need, Study Finds
2023
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Resource List/Bibliography
Suicide Prevention Resource Center's Best Practices Registry
2023
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NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
Lessons From Ecuador on Responding to the Mental Health Crisis in the U.S. and around the World
2023
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Webinar/Training
Zero Suicide Webinar: Safety Planning and Means Reduction in Large Health Care Organizations
2022
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Webinar/Training
Zero Suicide Webinar: Principles of Effective Suicide Care: Evidence-Based Treatments
2022
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Webinar/Training
Zero Suicide Webinar: The Role of Peer Support Services in Caring for Those at Risk of Suicide
2022
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Webinar/Training
Zero Suicide Webinar: After a Suicide: Postvention in Health and Behavioral Healthcare Settings
2022
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Webinar/Training
Zero Suicide Webinar: Data-Driven Quality Improvement in Zero Suicide
2022
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Webinar/Training
Pre-application Webinar: Cooperative Agreements to Implement Zero Suicide in Health Systems
2022
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Webinar/Training
Zero Suicide Webinar: Safe Care Transitions in a Zero Suicide Framework
2022
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Webinar/Training
SPARS Training for New National Strategy for Suicide Prevention and Zero Suicide Prevention Grantees: Overview of IPP Quarterly Data Entry Requirements and Annual Performance Goals and Budget Estimates
2022
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NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
Addressing America’s Mental Health Crisis—Especially in Rural Areas—Starts by Making Care More Accessible
2022
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NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
Survey of Americans Who Attempted Suicide Finds Many Aren’t Getting Care
2022
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NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
NEW YORK: How a Hospital and a School District Teamed Up to Help Kids in Emotional Crisis
2021
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NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
Facing a Broken Mental Health System, Many U.S. Teens Fall Off a Dangerous “Cliff” in Their Care
2020
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Fact Sheet/Issue Brief
Increased Access to Mental Health Care for Older Adults: Getting Support during COVID-19
2020
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NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
For Stressed-Out Black Americans, Mental Health Care Often Hard to Come By
2020
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NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
"We're Losing Our Kids": Black Youth Suicide Rate Rising Far Faster than for Whites; Coronavirus, Police Violence Deepen Trauma
2020
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NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
INTERNATIONAL: Suicide Risk and Prevention during the COVID-19 Pandemic
2020
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NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
COLORADO: Mental Health Care in Colorado Has Gone Virtual Thanks to Coronavirus. For Some Patients, It’s Long Overdue.
2020
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NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
WASHINGTON: Mental Health Experts Race to Help Children Cope with Stay-at-Home Life amid Coronavirus Closures
2020
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NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
UTAH: Utah Becomes Latest State to Ban Discredited LGBTQ “Conversion Therapy”
2020
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NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
Annual Report Shows National and International College Mental Health Trends
2020
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NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
IOWA: DMU Becomes First Medical School to Require Mental Health Course for Students
2020
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Toolkit
Best and Promising Practices for the Implementation of Zero Suicide in Health and Behavioral Health Care Systems in Indian Country
2019
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Guidelines/Recommendations
A Model School Policy on Suicide Prevention: Model Language, Commentary and Resources
2019
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NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
MICHIGAN: Michigan Providers Seek to Improve Whole Communities by Integrating Behavioral and Physical Health
2019
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Fact Sheet/Issue Brief
Suicide among Women Veterans: Risk Factors Associated with Mental Health and Emotional Well-Being
2019
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Fact Sheet/Issue Brief
Tailoring crisis response and pre-arrest diversion models for rural communities
2019
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Fact Sheet/Issue Brief
Alcohol and drug misuse and suicide and the millennial generation: A devastating impact
2019
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Fact Sheet/Issue Brief
Pain in the nation update: While deaths from alcohol, drugs, and suicide slowed slightly in 2017, rates are still at historic highs
2019
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NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
Study of a Suicide Prevention Intervention Delivered by Peer Support Specialists
2019
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NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
VIRGINIA: Virginia's 40 Mental Health Clinics to Offer Walk-In Evaluations
2019
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NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
Suicide After Surviving Mass Trauma Isn’t Inexplicable. And There Are Ways to Help.
2019
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Fact Sheet/Issue Brief
Suicide and social media: A tipsheet for parents and providers
2019
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Manual
Behavioral health services for American Indians and Alaska Natives for behavioral health service providers, administrators and supervisors
2019
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Report
Improving care to prevent suicide among people with serious mental illness: Proceedings of a workshop
2018
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NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
Sexual Orientation, Gender, and Attempted Suicide among Adolescent Inpatients
2018
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NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
MISSOURI: Following Tragedy, St. Louis Hospitals Renew Commitment to Postpartum Mental Health
2018
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Video/Audio Recording
David Jobes, PhD, on Evidence-Based Psychological Treatments and Suicide-Specific Brief Interventions
2018
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Manual
College counseling from a distance: Deciding whether and when to engage in telemental health services
2018
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Toolkit
Opioid epidemic practical toolkit: Helping faith and community leaders bring hope and healing to our communities
2018
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NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
Using Electronic Health Records to Predict Suicide Attempts and Deaths in Outpatient Care
2018
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Report
Healthy Campus Award: Celebrating success in student health and wellness, Key findings reports
2018
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Toolkit
Coercion related to mental health and substance use in the context of intimate partner violence: A toolkit for screening, assessment, and brief counseling in primary care and behavioral health settings
2018
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Fact Sheet/Issue Brief
Mental health-related physician office visits by adults aged 18 and over: United States, 2012–2014. (Data Brief, No. 311)
2018
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Fact Sheet/Issue Brief
Addressing the challenges of the opioid crisis and serious mental illness
2018
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Fact Sheet/Issue Brief
Pain in the nation: Healthcare systems brief: How healthcare systems can help address the drug, alcohol and suicide crises
2018
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NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
Recommended Standard Care for People with Suicide Risk: A Critical Step Forward
2018
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Guidelines/Recommendations
Recommended standard care for people with suicide risk: Making health care suicide safe
2018
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Report
The way forward: Federal action for a system that works for all people living with SMI and SED and their families and caregivers – Full report
2017
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Guidelines/Recommendations
A framework of recommendations for colleges and universities to support the mental health of students of color
2017
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NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
NEW HAMPSHIRE: Zero Suicide Training Offered to Local Health Professionals
2017
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Report
Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics Demonstration Program Report to Congress, 2017
2017
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NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
INTERNATIONAL: Lack of Follow-Up Visits a Factor in Increase in Suicide Rates, Study Shows
2017
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Guidelines/Recommendations
Special report: Suicide prevention in health care settings, recommendations regarding environmental hazards for providers and surveyors
2017
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NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
ENGLAND: Norfolk and Suffolk Mental Health Trust Develops New Suicide Plan
2017
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Video/Audio Recording
Training videos for the Self-Directed Violence Classification System
2017
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Fact Sheet/Issue Brief
Surveillance success stories - Texas: Denton and Tarrant Counties
2017
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Report
Breaking down barriers: Using youth suicide-related surveillance data from state systems
2017
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NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
CALIFORNIA: Community Paramedics Work to Link Patients with Mental Health Care
2016
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NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
GERMANY: Psychiatry on Closed and Open Wards: The Suicide Risk Remains the Same
2016
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NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
CANADA: Social Workers Adopt New National Policy on Suicide Prevention Thanks to Waterloo Students
2016
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Toolkit
Tools from the CAPT: Increasing cultural competence to reduce behavioral health disparities
2016
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Guidelines/Recommendations
Zero Suicide: An international declaration for better healthcare
2016
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NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
UNITED KINGDOM: New research examines suicide in new and expectant mothers
2016
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Fact Sheet/Issue Brief
A snapshot of behavioral health issues for Asian American/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander boys and men: Jumpstarting an overdue conversation
2016
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Guidelines/Recommendations
Sample individual practitioner practices for responding to client suicide
2016
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Guidelines/Recommendations
TIP 60: Using technology-based therapeutic tools in behavioral health services
2015
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NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
WASHINGTON: As PTSD cases surge, Army overhauling mental health services
2015
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Guidelines/Recommendations
Responding to Grief, Trauma, and Distress After a Suicide: U.S. National Guidelines
2015
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NEWS/HIGHLIGHT
Los Angeles County implements program to ensure mentally ill get treatment
2015
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Manual
Trauma-informed care in behavioral health services: Quick guide for clinicians based on TIP 57
2015
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Guidelines/Recommendations
Psychiatric-mental health nurse essential competencies for assessment and management of individuals at risk for suicide
2015
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Toolkit
Collaboration toolkit: California community colleges and California county behavioral and mental health departments
2015
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Fact Sheet/Issue Brief
The moment I felt hope: A suicide attempt survivor reflects on strengths and weaknesses in suicide care
2015
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Fact Sheet/Issue Brief
Becoming better listeners: One health care organization’s experience of committing to the Zero Suicide approach
2015
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Fact Sheet/Issue Brief
An introduction to co-occurring borderline personality disorder and substance use disorders in brief
2014
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Article/Chapter
Suicide risk categorisation of psychiatric inpatients: What it might mean and why it is of no use
2014
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Webinar/Presentation
Suicide prevention strategies and resources to improve services for service members, veterans, and their families
2013
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Guidelines/Recommendations
TIP 55: Behavioral health services for people who are homeless
2013
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Brochure/Booklet
It’s time to talk about it: A family guide for youth suicide prevention
2013
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Webinar/Presentation
When helping hurts: Self-care strategies for refugee community leaders & service
2013
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Report
An Executive Summary of A History of Suicide Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention Efforts in Colorado
2012
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Fact Sheet/Issue Brief
Helping children and youth who have experienced traumatic events: Mental Health Awareness Day, May 3, 2011
2011
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Brochure/Booklet
Suicide Assessment Five-Step Evaluation and Triage SAFE-T Pocket Card
2009
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Report
First national conference for survivors of suicide attempts, health care professionals, and clergy and laity: Summary of workgroup reports
2008
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Report
Strategies to improve external cause-of-injury coding in state-based hospital discharge and emergency department data systems: Recommendations of the CDC Workgroup for Improvement of External Cause-of-Injury Coding
2008
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Brochure/Booklet
Depression wellness guide for adults with depression and their families and friends
2007
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Report
Improving the quality of health care for mental and substance-use conditions: Quality chasm series
2006
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Manual
Addiction counseling competencies: The knowledge, skills, and attitudes of professional practice
2006
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