SAMHSA Action Plan

PURPOSE

To provide national leadership for suicide prevention, consistent with the 11 goals and 68 objectives of the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention.  In 2003, suicide was the 11th leading cause of death among persons of all ages, accounting for 31,484 deaths, a rate of 10.83 per 100,000 Americans.  Among young people aged 15-24, suicide was the third leading cause of death.

PERFORMANCE GOALS

Long-Term Measures

• Reduce the number of suicide deaths (Data Source: CDC’s WISQARS data, Baseline: 31,484, 2003)
• Decrease the percentage of individuals with a past year major depressive episode (MDE) who made a suicide plan during their worst or most recent MDE (Data Source: SAMHSA’s NSDUH, Baseline: 14.5% for adults age 18 or older, 2004 and 2005; 3.6% for youth aged 12-17, 2004)
• Decrease the percentage of individuals with a past year MDE who made a suicide attempt during their worst or most recent MDE (Data Source: SAMHSA’s NSDUH, Baseline: 10.4% for adults age 18 or older, 2004 and 2005; 2.9% for youth aged 12-17, 2004)

Annual Measures

• Increase the efficacy of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline intervention (Data Source: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Grant Program one-time evaluation based on 1 month follow-up with callers, Baseline: TBD 2007)
• Increase the number of suicide prevention PSAs printed through SAMHSA/Ad Council PSA campaign (Data Source: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Grant Program, Baseline: TBD 2007)
• Increase the identification and referral of youth at risk for suicide to services (Data Source: State/Tribal Suicide Prevention Program Grant Program, Baseline: TBD 2007)
• Increase the satisfaction of community gatekeepers with suicide prevention training programs. (Data Source: State/Tribal Suicide Prevention Program Grant Program, Baseline TBD 2007)
• Increase the number of suicide prevention candidate programs applying for review in the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP) (Data Source: NREPP, Baseline: TBD 2007)

POLICY AND PROGRAM PARAMETERS –
including drivers:

The following policy and program parameters are addressed or reflected in the action plan.

• The National Strategy for Suicide Prevention: Goals and Objectives for Action (2001).
• Reducing Suicide, a 2002 IOM report, advances research, training/education, and service delivery recommendations to reduce the incidence of suicide and suicidality, including the development, testing, expansion and implementation of suicide prevention programs.
• Achieving the Promise: Transforming Mental Health Care in America, the final report of the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health – the first recommendation under goal one is to advance and implement a national strategy for suicide prevention (2003).
• Transforming Mental Health Care in America – the Federal Action Agenda: First Steps (July 2005) included a Federal action step to “Launch the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention,” a public-private partnership that will oversee full implementation of the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention.

KEY ACTIVITIES –
FY 06-07:

• Ensure that suicide prevention is a significant focus in SAMHSA’s four redwood grant programs (Mental Health Systems Transformation SIG, Access to Recovery, and the Strategic Prevention Framework SIG and COSIG).
• Increase the number of suicide prevention-related programs that apply for review in the National Registry of Evidenced-based Programs and Practices (NREPP).
• Under the leadership of SAMHSA, establish the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, identifying and convening the Executive Committee and Partners Group to identify the highest priorities for achieving the 11 goals and 68 objectives in the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention.
• Issue an update regarding the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention that articulates specific actions, milestones, specific public/private partners who will work to achieve each action, and specific measures of success.
• Sustain and continue to expand SAMHSA’s efforts to enhance the States’ and communities’ ability to respond to suicide through suicide prevention and intervention grants, education/training materials, technical assistance, and linkage to suicide prevention hotlines.
• Through SAMHSA/Ad Council PSAs campaign, expand knowledge application in suicide assessment and treatment by increasing the reach, awareness and utilization of suicide prevention/early intervention materials by the public and by substance abuse and mental health service provider.