Tools for Providers

Reports and Presentations

• The U.S. Surgeon General and National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention's report, 2012 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (NSSP): Goals and Objectives for Action [PDF - 5 MB] Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov updates the initial strategy that was released in 2001, and reflects the most current knowledge, research, and practices for communities to prevent suicide.
• Addressing Behavioral Health Among American Indians and Alaska Natives: A Literature Review (August 2012) [PDF - 6.8 MB] Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  summarizes existing programs to highlight approaches to address depression through outreach, education, screening and treatment.
• The Suicide Crisis Lifeline Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  presentation on the Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s American Indian Initiative [PDF - 1.8 MB] assists providers in becoming more aware of the cultural needs of American Indian/Alaska Native people.
• Native Suicide Prevention: Approaches, Interventions, and Responses For An International Strategy Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  [PPT - 5.4 MB]
• The 2024 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov 

Safety Planning

The purpose of a safety plan is to act as an intervention to provide specific steps and strategies to decrease suicide risk. The safety plan should be completed as part of a suicide risk assessment, in collaboration between the patient and the provider, and should be documented in the medical record, with a copy provided to the patient.

The safety plan should include:

• Recognizing the warning sign of an impending crisis.
• Internal coping strategies.
• People or social settings that can provide a distraction.
• People who can be contacted for help.
• Professionals or agencies that can be contacted during a crisis.
• Ways to make the environment safe.

Training

• The QPR Institute Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  offers a one-hour suicide prevention training course that teaches how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis, and how to Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR) someone for help.

Tools and Toolkits

• One Sky Center offers a template designed to assess community suicide prevention components, including the American Indian Community Suicide Prevention Assessment Tool [DOC - 124 KB] Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov .
• The Assessment and Planning Tool Kit for Suicide Prevention in First Nations Communities [PDF - 1 MB] Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov , produced by the National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO), is dedicated to advancing the health and well-being of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people.
• Preventing Suicide: A Toolkit for High Schools Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  provides guidance for designing and implementing strategies to prevent suicide and promote behavioral health among students.
• The Suicide Grief Support Quick Reference Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  website lists resources and online grief support for survivors, children and caregivers.

Telephone Recommendations for Voicemail Monitoring and Follow-Up

Suggested voicemail protocols for staff to respond to patients in crisis seeking help.