In Case You Haven't Heard…

Abstract

The American Association of Suicidology, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and United Suicide Survivors International announced Oct. 11, on World Mental Health Day, their collaboration and release of the first “National Guidelines for Workplace Suicide Prevention.” These guidelines — built by listening to the expertise of diverse groups like HR, employment law, employee assistance professionals, labor and safety leaders, and many people who had experienced a suicide crisis while they were employed — will help employers and workplaces become proactively involved in suicide prevention in the workplace, a joint news release stated. “Across the United States, workplaces are taking a closer look at mental health promotion and suicide prevention, shifting their role and perspective on suicide from ‘not our business,’ to a mindset that says ‘we can do better,’” Sally Spencer‐Thomas, Psy.D., president of United Suicide Survivors International and co‐chair for the Workplace Suicide Prevention and Postvention Committee of the American Association of Suicidology, said. Guidelines include recommendations for easily deployed tools, trainings and resources for both short‐term action and comprehensive and sustained strategy.