CONTENTS

About This Course

Table of Contents

1. The Nature and Scope of Suicide
2. Recognizing the Progressive Development of Suicide
3. Substance Abuse as a Major Contributor to Suicide
4. Suicide Across the Life Span
5. Special Populations and Suicide Risk
6. Prevention and Early Intervention for Suicide and Substance Abuse Problems

Supplements
References
Resources

Holding the Lifeline
A Guide to Suicide Prevention

Increasing Gatekeeper Awareness

Experts in the field of suicide prevention are increasingly aware of the need to sensitize gatekeepers to the need for effective responses to suicide and to incorporate plans for community-wide prevention.

The Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) has a database of Customized Information which allows users to select a role, such as social workers/counselors, first responders, clergy, college students, law enforcement, media, and others, and download tailored information on prevention, warning signs, responses to warning signs, case studies, and resources.

Educational settings, at all levels, are an important place for interventions. Many school systems across the United States allow counselors and substance abuse prevention professionals to come into the schools and offer educational or therapy groups to identify students who are at risk.

Some states have developed school-based gatekeeper programs to help identify students at risk of suicide and to refer them for help.

Other states have programs for community gatekeepers, such as psychologists, nurses, primary care physicians, psychiatrists, and other traditional caregivers, teachers, emergency room staff, clergy, and police officers.