Review the Strategy

Below is a listing of NSSP goals and objectives; to review the complete NSSP document follow this link to the official NSSP Internet site http://www.mentalhealth.org/suicideprevention/strategy.asp

National Strategy for Suicide Prevention Goals and Objectives

Section 1: Awareness
Section 2: Intervention
Section 3: Methodology

Section 1: Awareness

Goal 1. Promote Awareness that Suicide is a Public Health Problem that is Preventable

Objective 1.1: By 2005, increase the number of States in which public information campaigns designed to increase public knowledge of suicide prevention reach at least 50 percent of the State's population.
Objective 1.2: By 2005, establish regular national congresses on suicide prevention designed to foster collaboration with stakeholders on prevention strategies across disciplines and with the public.
Objective 1.3: By 2005, convene national forums to focus on issues likely to strongly influence the effectiveness of suicide prevention messages.
Objective 1.4: By 2005, increase the number of both public and private institutions active in suicide prevention that are involved in collaborative, complementary dissemination of information on the World Wide Web.

Goal 2. Develop Broad-Based Support for Suicide Prevention

Objective 2.1: By 2001, expand the Federal Steering Group to appropriate Federal agencies to improve Federal coordination on suicide prevention, to help implement the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention, and to coordinate future revisions of the National Strategy
Objective 2.2: By 2002, establish a public/private partnership(s) (e.g., a national coordinating body) with the purpose of advancing and coordinating the implementation of the National Strategy.
Objective 2.3: By 2005, increase the number of national professional, voluntary, and other groups that integrate suicide prevention activities into their ongoing programs and activities.
Objective 2.4: By 2005, increase the number of nationally organized faith communities adopting institutional policies promoting suicide prevention.

Goal 3. Develop and Implement Strategies to Reduce the Stigma Associated with Being a Consumer of Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Suicide Prevention Services.

Objective 3.1: By 2005, increase the proportion of the public that views mental and physical health as equal and inseparable components of overall health.
Objective 3.2: By 2005, increase the proportion of the public that views mental disorders as real illnesses that respond to specific treatments.
Objective 3.3: By 2005, increase the proportion of the public that views consumers of mental health, substance abuse, and suicide prevention services as pursuing fundamental care and treatment for overall health.
Objective 3.4: By 2005, increase the proportion of those suicidal persons with underlying mental disorders who receive appropriate mental health treatment.

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Section 2: Intervention

Goal 4. Develop and Implement Community-Based Suicide Prevention Programs

Objective 4.1: By 2005, increase the proportion of States with comprehensive suicide prevention plans that a) coordinate across government agencies, b) involve the private sector, and c) support plan development, implementation, and evaluation in its communities.
Objective 4.2: By 2005, increase the proportion of school districts and private school associations with evidence-based programs designed to address serious childhood and adolescent distress and prevent suicide.
Objective 4.3: By 2005, increase the proportion of colleges and universities with evidence-based programs designed to address serious young adult distress and prevent suicide.
Objective 4.4: By 2005, increase the proportion of employers that ensure the availability of evidence-based prevention strategies for suicide.
Objective 4.5: By 2005, increase the proportion of correctional institutions, jails and detention centers housing either adult or juvenile offenders, with evidence-based suicide prevention programs.
Objective 4.6: By 2005, increase the proportion of State Aging Networks that have evidence-based suicide prevention programs designed to identify and refer for treatment of elderly people at risk for suicidal behavior.
Objective 4.7: By 2005, increase the proportion of family, youth and community service providers and organizations with evidence-based suicide prevention programs.
Objective 4.8: By 2005, develop one or more training and technical resource centers to build capacity for States and communities to implement and evaluate suicide prevention programs.

Goal 5. Promote Efforts to Reduce Access to Lethal Means and Methods of Self-Harm

Objective 5.1: By 2005, increase the proportion of primary care clinicians, other health care providers, and health and safety officials who routinely assess the presence of lethal means (including firearms, drugs, and poisons) in the home and educate about actions to reduce associated risks.
Objective 5.2: By 2005, expose a proportion of households to public information campaign(s) designed to reduce the accessibility of lethal means, including firearms, in the home.
Objective 5.3: By 2005, develop and implement improved firearm safety design using technology where appropriate.
Objective 5.4: By 2005, develop guidelines for safer dispensing of medications for individuals at heightened risk of suicide.
Objective 5.5: By 2005, improve automobile design to impede carbon monoxide-mediated suicide. Objective 5.6: By 2005, institute incentives for the discovery of new technologies to prevent suicide.

Goal 6. Implement Training for Recognition of At-Risk Behavior and Delivery of Effective Treatment
Objective 6.1: By 2005, define minimum course objectives for providers of nursing care in assessment and management of suicide risk, and identification and promotion of protective factors. Incorporate this material into curricula for nursing care providers at all professional levels.
Objective 6.2: By 2005, increase the proportion of physician assistant educational programs and medical residency programs that include training in the assessment and management of suicide risk and identification and promotion of protective factors.
Objective 6.3: By 2005, increase the proportion of clinical social work, counseling, and psychology graduate programs that include training in the assessment and management of suicide risk, and the identification and promotion of protective factors.
Objective 6.4: By 2005, increase the proportion of clergy who have received training in identification of and response to suicide risk and behaviors and the differentiation of mental disorders and faith crises.
Objective 6.5: By 2005, increase the proportion of educational faculty and staff who have received training on identifying and responding to children and adolescents at risk for suicide.
Objective 6.6: By 2005, increase the proportion of correctional workers who have received training on identifying and respond-ing to persons at risk for suicide.
Objective 6.7: By 2005, increase the proportion of divorce and family law and criminal defense attorneys who have received training in identifying and responding to persons at risk for suicide.
Objective 6.8: By 2005, increase the proportion of counties (or comparable jurisdictions such as cities or tribes) in which education programs are available to family members and others in close relationships with those at risk for suicide.
Objective 6.9: By 2005, increase the number of recertification or licensing programs in relevant professions that require or promote competencies in depression assessment and management and suicide prevention.

Goal 7. Develop and Promote Effective Clinical and Professional Practices

Objective 7.1: By 2005, increase the proportion of patients treated for self-destructive behavior in hospital emergency departments that pursue the proposed mental health follow-up plan.
Objective 7.2: By 2005, develop guidelines for assessment of suicidal risk among persons receiving care in primary health care settings, emergency departments, and specialty mental health and substance abuse treatment centers. Implement these guidelines in a proportion of these settings.
Objective 7.3: By 2005, increase the proportion of specialty mental health and substance abuse treatment centers that have policies, procedures, and evaluation programs designed to assess suicide risk and intervene to reduce suicidal behaviors among their patients.
Objective 7.4: By 2005, develop guidelines for aftercare treatment programs for individuals exhibiting suicidal behavior (including those discharged from inpatient facilities). Implement these guidelines in a proportion of these settings.
Objective 7.5: By 2005, increase the proportion of those who provide key services to suicide survivors (e.g., emergency medical technicians, firefighters, law enforcement officers, funeral directors, clergy) who have received training that addresses their own exposure to suicide and the unique needs of suicide survivors.
Objective 7.6: By 2005, increase the proportion of patients with mood disorders who complete a course of treatment or continue maintenance treatment as recommended.
Objective 7.7: By 2005, increase the proportion of hospital emergency departments that routinely provide immediate post-trauma psychological support and mental health education for all victims of sexual assault and/or physical abuse.
Objective 7.8: By 2005, develop guidelines for providing education to family members and significant others of persons receiving care for the treatment of mental health and substance abuse disorders with risk of suicide. Implement the guidelines in facilities (including general and mental hospitals, mental health clinics, and substance abuse treatment centers).
Objective 7.9: By 2005, incorporate screening for depression, substance abuse and suicide risk as a minimum standard of care for assessment in primary care settings, hospice, and skilled nursing facilities for all Federally-supported healthcare programs (e.g., Medicaid, CHAMPUS/TRICARE, CHIP, Medicare).
Objective 7.10: By 2005, include screening for depression, substance abuse and suicide risk as measurable performance items in the Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set (HEDIS).

Goal 8. Increase Access to and Community Linkages with Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services

Objective 8.1: By 2005, increase the number of States that require health insurance plans to cover mental health and substance abuse services on par with coverage for physical health.
Objective 8.2: By 2005, increase the proportion of counties (or comparable jurisdictions) with health and/or social services outreach programs for at-risk populations that incorporate mental health services and suicide prevention.
Objective 8.3: By 2005, define guidelines for mental health (including substance abuse) screening and referral of students in schools and colleges. Implement those guidelines in a proportion of school districts and colleges.
Objective 8.4: By 2005, develop guidelines for schools on appropriate linkages with mental health and substance abuse treatment services and implement those guidelines in a proportion of school districts.
Objective 8.5: By 2005, increase the proportion of school districts in which school-based clinics incorporate mental health and substance abuse assessment and management into their scope of activities.
Objective 8.6: By 2005, for adult and juvenile incarcerated populations, define national guidelines for mental health screening, assessment and treatment of suicidal individuals. Implement the guidelines in correctional institutions, jails and detention centers.
Objective 8.7: By 2005, define national guidelines for effective comprehensive support programs for suicide survivors. Increase the proportion of counties (or comparable jurisdictions) in which the guidelines are implemented.
Objective 8.8: By 2005, develop quality care/utilization management guidelines for effective response to suicidal risk or behavior and implement these guidelines in managed care and health insurance plans.

Goal 9. Improve Reporting and Portrayals of Suicidal Behavior, Mental Illness, and Substance Abuse in the Entertainment and News Media

Objective 9.1: By 2005, establish an association of public and private organizations for the purpose of promoting the accurate and responsible representation of suicidal behaviors, mental illness and related issues on television and in movies.
Objective 9.2: By 2005, increase the proportion of television programs and movies that observe promoting accurate and responsible depiction of suicidal behavior, mental illness and related issues.
Objective 9.3: By 2005, increase the proportion of news reports on suicide that observe consensus reporting recommendations.
Objective 9.4: By 2005, increase the number of journalism schools that include in their curricula guidance on the portrayal and reporting of mental illness, suicide and suicidal behaviors.

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Section 3: Methodology

Goal 10. Promote and Support Research on Suicide and Suicide Prevention

Objective 10.1: By 2002, develop a national suicide research agenda with input from survivors, practitioners, researchers, and advocates.
Objective 10.2: By 2005, increase funding (public and private) for suicide prevention research, for research on translating scientific knowledge into practice, and for training of researchers in suicidology.
Objective 10.3: By 2005, establish and maintain a registry of prevention activities with demonstrated effectiveness for suicide or suicidal behaviors.
Objective 10.4: By 2005, perform scientific evaluation studies of new or existing suicide prevention interventions.

Goal 11. Improve and Expand Surveillance Systems

Objective 11.1: By 2005, develop and refine standardized protocols for death scene investigations and implement these protocols in counties (or comparable jurisdictions).
Objective 11.2: By 2005, increase the proportion of jurisdictions that regularly collect and provide information for follow-back studies on suicides.
Objective 11.3: By 2005, increase the proportion of hospitals (including emergency departments) that collect uniform and reliable data on suicidal behavior by coding external cause of injuries, utilizing the categories included in the International Classification of Diseases.
Objective 11.4: By 2005, implement a national violent death reporting system that includes suicides and collects information not currently available from death certificates.
Objective 11.5: By 2005, increase the number of States that produce annual reports on suicide and suicide attempts, integrating data from multiple State data management systems.
Objective 11.6: By 2005, increase the number of nationally representative surveys that include questions on suicidal behavior.
Objective 11.7: By 2005, implement pilot projects in several States that link and analyze information related to self-destructive behavior derived from separate data systems, including for example law enforcement, emergency medical services, and hospitals.

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