Suicide Postvention Report

Abstract

Suicide postvention comprises a concerted response to, and provision of care for, people bereaved by suicide including those impacted by the suicide of a family member, friend or person in their social network. Currently, various forms of postvention services are available, such as group support, grief counselling, outreach by agencies and online support. Despite the devastating and lasting effects, a suicide can have on the bereaved and the number of people affected, little is known of what helps bereaved individuals. This review examines what suicide postvention models have been shown to be effective to reduce distress in family, friends and communities following a suicide along with what service components contribute to effectiveness.