Suicide

This page has suicide prevention and support resources for both those who suffer from thoughts of suicide to those who live with someone with those thoughts. Some are national resources, others are located in the state of Virginia.

Suicide Hotlines- National & International

What really happens when I reach out to the prevention lifelines and text lines?

• USA Suicide hotline  1-800-273-8255
• Crisis text line for US and Canada. Text HELP to 741-741
• UK: text 85258 | Ireland: text 50808
• USA Veteran’s Services 1-800-273-8255, press 1
• USA Veteran’s Text line send HELP to 838-255
• USA Crisis line for LGBTQ Youth 1-866-488-7386
• USA Crisis text line for LGBTQ Youth 678-678
• Canada Crisis Line 1-833-456-4566
• United Kingdom Crisis Line 116 123
• Australia Crisis Line 13 11 14
• All international suicide hotlines
• USA Warm Lines (peer support not a crisis line to talk to someone whose been there)
• TrevorSpace Discussion Board for LGBTQ+ support (peer support and not a crisis line)

Help Lines & Crisis Lines in Virginia

• Richmond Behavioral Health Authority (RBHA) Crisis Intervention – 1-804-819-4100
• Community Service Boards in Virginia– Community Service Boards or CSBs are the behavioral health and developmental disability service connections. Find your county and call 24/7
• Virginia Peer Warm Line (Not a crisis line) 8am-9pm, 1-866-400-MHAV (6428)

How to obtain a Temporary Detention Order (TDO) in Virginia -A magistrate may issue a medical temporary detention order if an adult is incapable of making in informed decision to accept necessary medical treatment. A medical temporary detention order allows the person to be detained for 24 hours to permit necessary medical treatment for a person over 18. The police in Richmond only transport and stand by until the TDO is issued.

Signs of Suicide-What do they say? What do they do? (Source: American Foundation of Suicide Prevention)

Suicide Loss- For Children/Teens

• Grief-eBook on what to say to children- Children, Teens and Suicide Loss– Dougy Center for Grieving Children and AFSP (American Foundation of Suicide Prevention)
• Grief-Article: Returning to School After a Suicide Loss: For Teens and Younger Children
• See below for suicide prevention/postvention/contagion prevention resources in schools

Suicide Prevention Resources- For those living with suicidality

• Coping with an Emotional Emergency
• Suicide Safety Plan Template
• Template of a letter to oneself to prevent suicide– Self-help coping strategy
• LiveThroughThis.org– A collection of portraits and true stories of suicide attempt survivors across the United States.
• Book for suicidal persons recommended by a licensed counselor, Karla Helbert, LPC: How I Stayed Alive When My Brain Was Trying to Kill Me: One Person’s Guide to Suicide Prevention (Here as a free download I think.)
• Resources in Virginia– Numbers to call and links to resources
• Best Suicide prevention apps – Professionally reviewed apps for suicide prevention
• TrevorSpace Peer Support Discussion Board

Suicide Crisis Line Posters and Shareables

• Crisis text line images and printable posters
• More Crisis line web images and printable posters
• 8.5 x 11 Crisis text line poster for classrooms and youth spaces

Suicide Prevention Resources- Help someone who suffers

• Resources in Virginia– Numbers to call and links to resources
• One-pager on how to talk to someone contemplating suicide from AFSP (American Foundation of Suicide prevention)
• How to have a conversation about suicide– I like the podcast. Plays on any device.
• What do those contemplating suicide say?
• Suicide Resources page from Choice Mutual
• Reporting guidelines at AFSP – (the audio is excellent)
• Suicide Loss Support Groups
• Talking points for parents on Netflix series 13 Reasons Why
  • My review on ’13 Reasons Why’
  • Talking points and guides on how to talk to your kids about this show are on this page at the bottom
• Challenge Success  Challenge Success provides families and schools with the practical, research-based tools they need to create a more balanced and academically-fulfilling life for kids
• How to “remove means” when it’s a gun. What’s legal what’s not? (Virginia)
• Lethal Means & Suicide Prevention – National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention (pdf)

Suicide Loss & Prevention Resources

Postvention and Prevention. These are evidence-based guides created by national organizations categorized by type.

Removing Means

• Means Matter Website– Guidance on the importance of removing firearms and other means someone might use to suicide
• How to remove means when it’s a firearm in Virginia – This varies from state to state but this will offer a guide for other areas

Community/Individual Support:

• Survivor Outreach Program – Peer to peer support in your community
• AFSP Resources – For those who’ve lost someone to suicide
• Suicide Loss Support Groups
• United Suicide Survivors International– An organization that serves as a home for people who have experienced suicide loss, suicide attempts and suicidal thoughts/feelings, and their friends and families — collectively known as people w/ lived experience with suicide – to leverage their expertise for large scale change
• Alliance of Hope: For those who’ve lost someone to suicide
• More grief support here

For Faith Leaders

• After a Suicide: Recommendations for Religious Services & Other Public Memorial Observances

For Schools:

• Suicide Prevention: A Model Policy by the Trevor Project– This is a very concise and thorough school policy that covers, prevention, memorials, intervention, postvention. Trevor will even consult with school districts to modify it for their state and school district. A must to download.
• After a Suicide, A Toolkit for Schools (pdf) A guide from AFSP for schools who have suffered a suicide of one of their students
• Preventing Suicide: A ToolKit for Schools (pdf) SAMHSA
• Model School District Policy on Suicide Prevention
• Memorials after Suicide: Guidelines for Schools & Families (pdf)
• Memorials after Suicide: Guidelines for Schools & Families (article)
• Suicide Clusters and Contagion– (pdf)
• Suicide Conversations– (Podcast): “How to talk to kids about suicide” with Dan Reidenburg on Talk to Your Kids About Anything podcast with Dr. Robyn Silverman
• Suicide Conversations-(Podcast): “How to talk to kids about Depression, Substance Abuse and Suicide,” with Anne Moss Rogers on Talk to Your Kids About Anything podcast with Dr. Robyn Silverman
• After a School Suicide (article) Student project to work through their own grief and connect with the family. The stories you share about our beloved dead mean the most.
• Scroll below for links to youth suicide prevention nonprofits, JED Foundation (teen and young adults) and Trevor Project (LGBTQ youth)

For Healthcare Providers:

• ASQ suicide screening tool for ERs and Physician Practices (this tool takes twenty seconds)
• For practices, these are some of the handouts used by other pediatricians/PCPs.

For Workplace Prevention & Grief Support:

• Make suicide prevention a health and safety priority at work (Guidelines for Workplaces)
• A Manager’s Guide to Suicide Postvention in the Workplace– 10 Action Steps for Dealing with the Aftermath of a Suicide (From AAS- American Association of Suicidology)

For Funeral Directors:

• How to Talk to Families Who’ve Lost Someone to Suicide– Free eBook
• Supporting Survivors of Suicide Loss: A Guide for Funeral Directors (because they are an integral part of suicide prevention in a community)

For Reporters Reporting on Suicide:

• Reporting on suicide– Guide on language and responsible reporting
• Guidelines from AAS, American Association of Suicidology

For Correctional Facilities:

• Suicide Prevention in Correctional Facilities– From AFSP, American Foundation of Suicide Prevention, and the National Commission on Correctional Healthcare

Suicide Prevention Training

Google your city, state and the name of the course you want to learn more about. These evidence-based courses can be taken by mental health professionals, parents, community members

• LivingWorks Start – From LivingWorks- 90-minute online training
• Lifeline and LivingWorks ASK for identifying young children at risk for suicide
• Talk Saves Lives – From AFSP, American Foundation of Suicide Prevention. This is a one-hour primer on suicide. Call your state chapter to schedule a free presentation
• ASIST training -Two-day training for intervention and prevention
• SafeTalk – Half-day training (I am a safeTALK trainer. Reach out here if you want to schedule a training.)
• Mental Health First Aid – One-day training
• QPR Institute Online Training on Suicide Prevention

Community Suicide Prevention Events

• Out of the Darkness Community Walks
• Out of the Darkness Campus Walks
• The Overnight Walk
• Suicide Loss Survivor Day (November in cities around the U.S.)

Non-Profit Resources for Suicide Prevention – National

• American Foundation of Suicide Prevention – AFSP
• American Association of Suicidology – AAS
• Suicide Prevention Resource Center – SPRC
• Active Minds –Active Minds is a mental health organization on colleges campuses across the US
• Trevor Project – LGBTQ Youth
• JED Foundation – Young Adults, College Campuses
• Quell Foundation – Mission to reduce the number of suicides, overdoses and incarcerations of people with mental health illness
• List of many nonprofits from Sally Spencer Thomas

Non-Profit Resources for Suicide Prevention – Virginia

• I Need a Lighthouse – Virginia Beach, VA
• Ryan Bartel Foundation – Waterford, VA
• American Foundation of Suicide Prevention – National org, Virginia Chapter
• Mitchell Hash Foundation – Veteran suicide support, Charlottesville, VA
• Living the Dream – Culpepper, Virginia
• Sarah Peterson Foundation – Hampton Roads, Virginia
• Beacon Tree Foundation, Advocates for youth mental health and suicide prevention – Richmond, VA

College Suicide Prevention Resources – National

From re-entry back into college after medical withdrawal to groups that can support your student. Helpful resources for students struggling with mental illness and/or Substance Use Disorder (SUD)

• Colleges with SUD recovery programs -Most of these are aimed at addiction recovery.
• JED Foundation – Young Adults, College Campuses. Look for a JED Campus if you want to find a school that is working to prevent suicide.
• College Re-entry –This program is dedicated to helping students with re-entry into college after having withdrawn from their studies. This could be due to any issue including a suicide attempt to loss of a parent or even due to cancer treatment.
• Interactive Screening Program (ISP) from AFSP, American Foundation of Suicide Prevention. Those who exchanged anonymous online messages with an ISP counselor were three times more likely to enter treatment. This program is successfully used at many US colleges. It’s an anonymous online tool for students experiencing mental health issues or suicidal ideation. It’s anonymous until they make the choice to reach out. Advocates – Ask your college to implement this program. UCLA ISP Program
• It’s Real: College Students and Mental Health– There is a 20-minute film for incoming college freshmen and for high school juniors and seniors from the American foundation of suicide prevention as well.
• Hold a Campus Out of the Darkness Walk– This can be for high school or college and illustrates support to those who suffer suicidal ideation
• Active Minds Chapters–Active Minds is a mental health organization at colleges across the US

emotionally naked blog posts about suicide

1. How to tell someone you are thinking of suicide
2. They said they’re thinking of suicide? What now?
3. My son has admitted he is suicidal. What do I do now?
4. Why should I stay alive when I want to kill myself? by Anna Wieder
5. So you are contemplating suicide
6. Why didn’t I ask, ‘Do you have thoughts about killing yourself?’
7. What did Charles say prior to suicide to indicate his intentions?
8. Why did he kill himself? Answering the why
9. Did Charles show warning signs for teen suicide?
10. What is suicide?
11. Examples of reporting on suicide
12. What is the ‘wrong’ thing to say to someone thinking of suicide
13. The Final 48 Hours