Suicide Prevention Programs Research Articles

Development of the Life Gatekeeper suicide prevention training programme in China: a Delphi study

BackgroundYouth suicide has been a pressing public mental health concern in China, yet there is a lack of gatekeeper intervention programmes developed locally to prevent suicide among Chinese adolescents.AimsThe current...

Suicide risk in male incarcerated individuals in Spain: clinical, criminological and prison-related correlates

BackgroundPrison suicide is a complex phenomenon that may be influenced by individual, clinical, social and environmental factors. In Spain, few studies have explored the relationship with institutional, prison-related variables. The aim of this study is to examine correlates of suicide in a sample of male incarcerated individuals from 5 Spanish penitentiary centers.MethodsThis present study entails a secondary data analysis, using data from the Prevalence of mental disorders in prisons study. This is a cross-sectional multicenter study conducted in 2007–2008 across 5 penitentiary centers in Spain. The Spanish version of the Plutchik suicide risk scale was used to assess the risk of suicide (those scoring ≥ 6 were considered to be at risk of suicide). Sociodemographic, clinical, criminological and prison-related data were collected via face-to face interviews and criminological data were confirmed using penitentiary records.ResultsThe final sample included 707 male incarcerated individuals (mean age 36.79 years ± 9.90 years). Several significant correlates associated with higher risk of suicide were identified including criminological factors (having committed a violent offense, being a recidivist), clinical factors (family history of mental disorders, the presence of mental disorders, having physical conditions, contact with a mental health specialist, medication treatment in the last 12 months), and prison-related determinants (workshop/training course participation) was significantly associated with lower suicide risk.ConclusionsSeveral correlates within a comprehensive range of sociodemographic, criminological, clinical and prison-related variables were identified. This information is primordial for preventing suicide and reducing the existing risk. The findings may contribute to developing effective suicide prevention programs within Spanish prison services. Importantly, future research must continue to investigate the nature of suicidal outcomes among incarcerated individuals.

Are false positives in suicide classification models a risk group? Evidence for "true alarms" in a population-representative longitudinal study of Norwegian adolescents.

False positives in retrospective binary suicide attempt classification models are commonly attributed to sheer classification error. However, when machine learning suicide attempt classification models are trained with a multitude of psycho-socio-environmental factors and achieve high accuracy in suicide risk assessment, false positives may turn out to be at high risk of developing suicidal behavior or attempting suicide in the future. Thus, they may be better viewed as "true alarms," relevant for a suicide prevention program. In this study, using large population-based longitudinal dataset, we examine three hypotheses: (1) false positives, compared to the true negatives, are at higher risk of suicide attempt in future, (2) the suicide attempts risk for the false positives increase as a function of increase in specificity threshold; and (3) as specificity increases, the severity of risk factors between false positives and true positives becomes more similar. Utilizing the Gradient Boosting algorithm, we used a sample of 11,369 Norwegian adolescents, assessed at two timepoints (1992 and 1994), to classify suicide attempters at the first time point. We then assessed the relative risk of suicide attempt at the second time point for false positives in comparison to true negatives, and in relation to the level of specificity. We found that false positives were at significantly higher risk of attempting suicide compared to true negatives. When selecting a higher classification risk threshold by gradually increasing the specificity cutoff from 60% to 97.5%, the relative suicide attempt risk of the false positive group increased, ranging from minimum of 2.96 to 7.22 times. As the risk threshold increased, the severity of various mental health indicators became significantly more comparable between false positives and true positives. We argue that the performance evaluation of machine learning suicide classification models should take the clinical relevance into account, rather than focusing solely on classification error metrics. As shown here, the so-called false positives represent a truly at-risk group that should be included in suicide prevention programs. Hence, these findings should be taken into consideration when interpreting machine learning suicide classification models as well as planning future suicide prevention interventions for adolescents.

Relationship between self-esteem and suicidal ideation before and during COVID-19 in a non-clinical sample: mediating effects of psychological distress and hopelessness.

Several studies have highlighted the impact of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on suicide. Accordingly, investigating the risk factors of suicide during this crisis is important. Based on the escape theory of suicide, the current study examined the serial mediating roles of psychological distress and hopelessness in the relationship between self-esteem and suicidal ideation. It also aimed to explore whether or not the COVID-19 pandemic changed the mediation effect in any way. Data were collected from 645 university students before and during the pandemic. The study employed mediation and multi-group analyses to test the hypotheses. The results demonstrated that individuals with low self-esteem reported high psychological distress, which further lead to hopelessness and eventually heightened suicidal ideation. Multi-group analysis revealed that psychological distress exerted a greater impact on suicidal ideation during COVID-19. The finding suggested that self-esteem, hopelessness, and psychological distress could help elucidate the development of suicidal ideation. Clinicians may target these factors in suicide prevention programs, particularly in the settings of the COVID-19 pandemic or future crisis.

"Hey Amir, How Are You REALLY Doing?": Participant Perspectives of a Peer-Based Suicide Prevention Campaign for Men.

Suicide is a major public health concern and leading cause of death among men in Canada. This study reports the feasibility and acceptability of Buddy Up, a peer-based suicide prevention campaign for men. A mixed-methods approach was used to analyze respondent survey questionnaires (n = 48) and individual participant interviews (n = 19) collected from campaign users. Survey respondents reported that they enjoyed their involvement in the campaign (92%), were more confident to talk with men about mental health and suicide (95%), and would recommend Buddy Up to others (95%). Qualitative interviews were thematically analyzed to develop three inductively derived themes: (a) Engaging men with relatable masculine content and design: "Buddy Up really spoke to them in their language," highlighting the importance of understanding and working with gendered practices and motivations to legitimize and motivate involvement in suicide prevention; (b) Leveraging campaign participation to initiate conversations and promote mental health: "It gives men language and license to start asking questions," revealing ways in which participants utilized Buddy Up to negotiate and norm checking-in to promote men's mental health; and (c) Driving new masculine cultures: "We start every meeting with a mental health moment," identifying how participants fostered healthy milieus for disclosing mental health challenges with teamwork and preventive action under the banner of Buddy Up. The study findings support the feasibility of Buddy Up and highlight the acceptability of peer-based approaches to mental health promotion. The findings can also empirically guide future efforts for systematically building men's peer-based suicide prevention programs.

Characteristics and related factors of suicide attempts among patients admitted to an Iranian poisoning center: Implications for suicide prevention

BackgroundSuicide is a major public health concern worldwide. Iran is no exception, with suicide rates increasing in recent years. Understanding the characteristics and related factors of suicide attempts can help inform suicide prevention efforts in Iran. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted on patients who attempted suicide and were admitted to the poisoning emergency of an intoxication center in Shiraz, Iran, between November 2019 and January 2020. Data were collected using data sheets containing study variables completed by oral interviewers and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. ResultsThe study included 302 individuals, with the majority being females (63.6%), and the mean age was 28.19 (SD 19.25) years. The majority of patients were living in urban areas (82.5%) and unmarried (60.9%). Medical drug abuse was the most common method of self-poisoning (76.5%), followed by narcotics (15.6%). Suicide attempts were predominantly carried out at night (59.9%) and on working days (78.5%). Most patients had no history of previous suicidal attempts (64.2%), psychiatric problems (64.6%), or physical illnesses (84.8%). Female gender (P = 0.017) and the presence of an underlying disease (P = 0.016) were the two risk factors significantly associated with suicide on non-working days. ConclusionOur study highlights the need for comprehensive suicide prevention strategies that consider the complex interplay of individual, sociocultural, and environmental factors that contribute to suicidal behaviors. The high proportion of female suicide attempters and the timing of suicide attempts suggest the need for gender-specific suicide prevention programs and focused suicide prevention efforts during high-risk periods. Additionally, the association between physical illnesses and suicide attempts underscores the importance of integrated mental and physical health care services.

Profile of childhood trauma subtypes associated with self-injurious thoughts and behaviors.

Childhood trauma has been identified as a risk factor for self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (STBs), but the roles of different types of childhood trauma have not been clarified. The current study aimed to explore the association between different childhood trauma experiences and STB profiles. The current study utilized data from a cross-sectional survey of 89,281 Chinese university and college students (Mage = 19.6). Participants were classified into one of six STBs groups, including individuals who are not suicidal or having nonsuicidal self-injury (NS) behavior, individuals with suicidal ideation (SI), individuals with nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) behavior, individuals with suicide attempt (SA), individuals with both NSSI and SI (NSSI + SI) and individuals with both NSSI and SA (NSSI + SA). Several multinomial logistic regressions were performed. The individuals reporting more emotional abuse experiences are significantly more likely to report higher-risk STB profiles (OR =1.06-1.64). Emotional neglect is also a significant factor predicting higher STB risk compared to NS and SI groups (OR = 1.02-1.08). Mixed findings were found for physical neglect and sexual abuse, as they show different directions of risk-predicting effects in different STB groups. Physical abuse did not significantly predict STBs. Our results indicate that exposure to childhood emotional abuse increase the risk for all types of STBs, which calls for special attention in future suicide prevention and intervention programs. Our findings further imply possible roles for different subtypes of traumatic experiences to trigger different SBTs, which warrant future exploration. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

장애인을 돌보는 가구주의 자살생각에 미치는 영향요인

Heads of households who take care of disabled people experience negative prejudice from society along with physical, mental, social and economic burdens throughout their lives. It has been reported that household heads with disabilities who are living with these difficulties are showing up to suicide as a solution to mental problems. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the factors influencing suicidal ideation of household heads with disabilities. For multilateral analysis, it was classified into personal, psychological, and social factors. Therefore, this study set subjective health status and relationship with the disabled as personal factors, depression, self-esteem, and leisure life satisfaction as psychological factors, and the impact of disability on life, disability-related experience, and family strength as social factors. The purpose of this study is to identify the influencing factors on the relationship between the main variables and suicidal ideation. The purpose of this study is to measure the degree of the relationship with suicidal ideation and to identify the factors affecting them through various variables. The data of this study is a secondary data analysis study using raw data from the second panel survey on disabled people's lives, and real numbers and percentages, Chi-Square test, t-test, and logistic regression analysis were performed. As a result of the study, it was found that the level of depression (2.6 times) and the degree of relationship with the disabled (1.73 times) were higher among those who thought about suicide compared to those who did not think of suicide, while the self-esteem (.33 times) and family strengths (.63 times), subjective health status (.45 times), and leisure life satisfaction (.66 times) were low. Based on the above results, it was found that the suicidal ideation of the head of a disabled householder is affected by depression, relationship with the disabled, self-esteem, family health, subjective health status, and leisure life satisfaction. Among the major variables, the most influential variable are depression, the degree of relationship with the disabled, so it is necessary to develop a suicide prevention program for the disabled family using this and to mediate and apply it.

Etiology and Perception of Suicide: Cultural Explanation Of Suicide From Javanese Perspective

The suicide rate in Java is increasingly worrying. Furthermore, there is still a limited exploration of suicide in Javanese culture. This qualitative research intended to explore the perception of suicide in the Javanese with Arthur Kleinman’s explanatory model framework. We interviewed 21 Javanese, of which 28.5% had a history of attempted suicide. Grounded theory analysis found that the Javanese have various terms for suicide based on how suicide is conducted, emotional nuances, and influences of taboo. Suicide is believed to be influenced by suffering, loss of hope, alienation, mental frailty, and low religiosity. It is important to consider cultural characteristics in suicide prevention campaigns and suicide management programs. This article encourages cultural sensitivity for clinicians and health authorities to accommodate the Javanese belief in suicide prevention programs as well as the delivery of effective interventions.

Suicide prevention programming across ecological levels: Recommendations from Latinx immigrant origin youth and their parents.

Latinx immigrant-origin youth (IOY) have unique risks for suicidal thoughts and behaviors. It has been suggested that these risks should be addressed from an ecological perspective, addressing cultural and family context as well as structural and systemic barriers to prevention. This study sought to explore perspectives of immigrant-origin Latinx adolescents and their caregivers on suicide and its prevention, including the potential impact of stressors specific to immigrant status. Focus groups were conducted in 2018-2019 with Latinx immigrant-origin caregivers (N = 41, 97.5% female) and adolescents (ages = 14-19, N = 56, 50% female). Participants were recruited from community-based organizations in two different cities. A codebook approach to thematic analysis was used to identify themes, which were subsequently mapped onto levels of the Center for Disease Control's Social-Ecological Framework for Violence Prevention. Participants identified both contributors to suicidal behavior and potential components of prevention programming across ecological levels. Specific recommendations for suicide prevention included engaging in recreation, parenting education and support, enhancing academic supports for adolescents, and enhancing school-family communication. Structural barriers (e.g., caregiver work schedules) to implementing recommendations were described. Our results highlight the potential role of access to school and community-based supports as public health-oriented suicide prevention strategies and suggest a need to address barriers faced by immigrant families in accessing these supports alongside addressing barriers to mental health treatment. Policies impacting immigrant families' financial stability and increasing the availability of recreational and academic opportunities may promote mental health and prevent suicidal thoughts and behavior among IOY. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Supplemental Material for Suicide Prevention Programming Across Ecological Levels: Recommendations From Latinx Immigrant Origin Youth and Their Parents

Supplemental Material for Suicide Prevention Programming Across Ecological Levels: Recommendations From Latinx Immigrant Origin Youth and Their Parents

Stability of Suicide Risk Prediction Models During Changes in Health Care Delivery.

The authors aimed to use health records data to examine how the accuracy of statistical models predicting self-harm or suicide changed between 2015 and 2019, as health systems implemented suicide prevention programs. Data from four large health systems were used to identify specialty mental health visits by patients ages ≥11 years, assess 311 potential predictors of self-harm (including demographic characteristics, historical risk factors, and index visit characteristics), and ascertain fatal or nonfatal self-harm events over 90 days after each visit. New prediction models were developed with logistic regression with LASSO (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator) in random samples of visits (65%) from each calendar year and were validated in the remaining portion of the sample (35%). A model developed for visits from 2009 to mid-2015 showed similar classification performance and calibration accuracy in a new sample of about 13.1 million visits from late 2015 to 2019. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) ranged from 0.840 to 0.849 in the new sample, compared with 0.851 in the original sample. New models developed for each year for 2015-2019 had classification performance (AUC range 0.790-0.853), sensitivity, and positive predictive value similar to those of the previously developed model. Models selected similar predictors from 2015 to 2019, except for more frequent selection of depression questionnaire data in later years, when questionnaires were more frequently recorded. A self-harm prediction model developed with 2009-2015 visit data performed similarly when applied to 2015-2019 visits. New models did not yield superior performance or identify different predictors.

Preliminary findings from Mapping Q: An arts-based suicide prevention program for sexual and gender minority youth.

Preliminary findings from Mapping Q: An arts-based suicide prevention program for sexual and gender minority youth.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Trainings as Part of an American Indian/Alaska Native Youth Suicide Prevention Program

According to the Centers for Disease Control suicide rates in 2022 for American Indian/Alaska Native youth are 2.5 times higher than the national average. An Urban Indian Health Organization’s response to this crisis was to provide community and State-wide Gatekeeper trainings between 2012 and 2019 to teach trainees (N = 810) to respond appropriately to youth at-risk of suicide. We report data on pre-, post-, and six-month follow-up surveys with trainees. Data were analyzed using generalized linear models repeated measures to test within-subject, and between-subject mean score changes on suicide prevention-related measures “knowledge,” “ask directly,” “respond,” “comfort,” and “preparedness.” Results indicated improved capacity to be prepared to address suicide in the short term and that having a graduate degree enhanced baseline suicide prevention knowledge. Over time those with less education benefited the most and better retained content. Future Trainings should engage young people and those with less education to realize the largest benefit.

Suicidal Mortality and Motives Among Middle-School, High-School, and University Students

The suicide mortality rate per 100 000 population (SMRP) consistently decreased before the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in Japan and then unexpectedly increased during the pandemic. However, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. To identify trends in and factors associated with suicidal mortality and motives among students in Japan from 2007 to 2022. In this cross-sectional study, data on SMRPs among Japanese middle-school, high-school, and university students were obtained from the government suicide database Suicide Statistics of the National Police Agency. Age-dependent and temporal fluctuations in annual SMRPs, disaggregated by suicidal motive (7 categories and 52 subcategories), sex, and school, were analyzed using linear mixed-effect and joinpoint regression models, respectively. Total suicide numbers from 2007 to 2022 were as follows: 760 male middle-school students, 635 female middle-school students, 2376 male high-school students, 1566 female high-school students, 5179 male university students, and 1880 female university students. The mean (SD) student populations from 2007 to 2022 were as follows: 1 752 737 (81 334) male middle-school students, 1 675 572 (78 824) female middle-school students, 1 648 274 (67 520) male high-school students, 1 614 828 (60 032) female high-school students, 1 652 689 (32 724) male university students, and 1 229 142 (57 484) female university students. Among male students, the leading motives were school-related factors (underachievement and worrying about the future), followed by family-related and health-related motives. Among female students, school-related and family-related motives decreased, but health-related motives showed an age-dependent increase. The SMRPs of middle-school male students and female students were almost equal (mean [SD], 2.7 [1.0] vs 2.4 [1.4]), but the age-dependent increase in SMRPs among male students was pronounced (mean [SD], high-school vs university male students, 9.1 [2.4] vs 19.6 [3.0]; high-school vs university female students, 6.1 [2.4] vs 9.6 [1.8]). However, the incidence of suicide among high-school students associated with health-related motives was greater in female students. The majority of suicides associated with major impactable suicidal motives (school-related, health-related, and family-related motives) began increasing before the pandemic. Changes in SMRP associated with interpersonal relationships, such as conflict with classmates or parents, were not significant, but the rates increased greatly during the pandemic. School-related, health-related, and family-related problems were major motives, whereas the impacts of health-related and family-related motives increased and decreased with age, respectively. Notably, most SMRPs associated with major impactable motives (underachievement, conflict with a parent or classmate, and mental illnesses) had already begun increasing in the late 2010s, indicating that recent increasing SMRPs among school-aged individuals were associated with pandemic-related factors and other factors affecting this generation before the pandemic. It may be inappropriate to uniformly apply research findings based on school-aged individuals to school-based suicide prevention programs for students in middle school, high school, and university.

Life years lost associated with mental illness: A cohort study of beneficiaries of a South African medical insurance scheme

BackgroundPeople with mental illness have a reduced life expectancy, but the extent of the mortality gap and the contribution of natural and unnatural causes to excess mortality among people with mental illness in South Africa are unknown. MethodsWe analysed reimbursement claims from South African medical insurance scheme beneficiaries aged 15–85 years. We estimated excess life years lost (LYL) associated with organic, substance use, psychotic, mood, anxiety, eating, personality, developmental or any mental disorders. ResultsWe followed 1,070,183 beneficiaries for a median of three years, of whom 282,926 (26.4 %) received mental health diagnoses. Men with a mental health diagnosis lost 3.83 life years (95 % CI 3.58–4.10) compared to men without. Women with a mental health diagnosis lost 2.19 life years (1.97–2.41) compared to women without. Excess mortality varied by sex and diagnosis, from 11.50 LYL (95 % CI 9.79–13.07) among men with alcohol use disorder to 0.87 LYL (0.40–1.43) among women with generalised anxiety disorder. Most LYL were attributable to natural causes (men: 3.42, women: 1.94). A considerable number of LYL were attributable to unnatural causes among men with bipolar (1.52) or substance use (2.45) disorder. LimitationsMental diagnoses are based on reimbursement claims. ConclusionsPremature mortality among South African individuals with mental disorders is high. Our findings support interventions for the prevention, early detection, and treatment of physical comorbidities in this population. Targeted programs for suicide prevention and substance use treatment, particularly among men, can help reduce excess mortality from unnatural causes.

Understanding the utility of "Talk-to-Me" an online suicide prevention program for Australian university students.

Australian university students are at risk of experiencing poor mental health, being vulnerable to self-harm and suicidal ideation. "Talk-to-Me" is a suicide ideation prevention Massive open online course (MOOC) previously showing it can support Western Australian university students' knowledge of identifying and responding to suicide ideation in themselves and others. A multi-site one-group pre-test/post-test design with a 12-week follow-up explored the efficacy of "Talk-to-Me" for university students Australia-wide, evaluating the influence of COVID-19 and location. Overall, 217 students (55% female; mage = 24.93 years [18, 60]) enrolled in this study from 2020 to 2021. Participants' responses to suicidal statements, mental health literacy, generalized self-efficacy, help-seeking behavior, and overall utility of the program were collected at baseline, post-MOOC (10 weeks from baseline) and 12-week follow-up. The effect of time and location interaction was explored using a random-effects regression model. Findings indicated significant improvement in participants' knowledge of positive mental health support strategies (ES = 0.42, p < 0.001) and recognizing appropriate responses to suicidal statements (ES = 0.37, p < 0.001) at 10-weeks, with further improvement at 12 weeks follow-up (ES = 0.47 and 0.46, p < 0.001). Students reported higher generalized self-efficacy at the 12-week follow-up compared to baseline (ES = 0.19, p = 0.03) and an increased tendency to seek professional help for mental health issues (ES = 0.22, p = 0.02). These findings provide preliminary evidence of the efficacy of the "Talk-to-Me" program in supporting ‎university students across Australia to increase their suicide-related knowledge and skills, ‎general self-efficacy, and overall mental fitness.

Suicide Prevention: A Must-Do Task

Suicide prevention requires a comprehensive and multi-dimensional approach that addresses the interplay of individual, social, and environmental factors contributing to suicidal behavior. How to prevent it is crucial and is a must-do task. It is critical to examine individual-level interventions such as mental health screenings and access to mental health services, as well as population-level strategies including awareness campaigns and public policy initiatives. Consequently, it is essential to emphasize the significance of fostering community support, strengthening protective factors, and promoting resilience to counteract suicide risk. Additionally, the role of education, stigma reduction, and collaboration between various stakeholders in implementing effective suicide prevention programs also play a pivotal part in it.

Attachment Styles as Predictors of Suicidal Behavior in School Going Adolescents

Purpose: Secondary school students face numerous challenges as they balance academic challenges, parental and peer pressures, emotional issues related to puberty changes and adolescence expectations. They also grapple about not knowing what the future holds in terms of career paths. As a result of these challenges, it is common for adolescents to have suicidal thoughts that may lead to suicide attempts.. Suicide is among the leading cause of death in young people and is prevalent worldwide. Suicidal behavior has been associated with attachment security in studies but few of these studies have been done in Kenyan adolescents. This study filled this gap by investigating whether attachment styles predicted suicidal behavior in students attending secondary schools in Nairobi, Kenya.&#x0D; Methodology: The study was correlational in design and was based on the attachment theory. Three hundred and sixty seven randomly selected students completed self-report measures consisting of the Attachment Styles Questionnaire and a Suicidal Behavior Scale.&#x0D; Findings: Results of multiple regression showed that that attachment styles significantly predicted suicidal behavior (F = 36.125, P &lt; .000) and 30% of variance in suicidal behavior was attributed to the attachment styles (R2 = .300). Preoccupied (β = .487, P &lt; .001) and dismissing (β = .122, P = .018) attachment styles predicted suicidal behaviors. &#x0D; Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The contribution to knowledge of this paper is that it provides a theoretical and practical contribution on the importance of attachment styles in predicting suicidal behaviours. The results of the study show that attachment security plays an important role in adolescents’ suicide behavior as insecurely attached students have a higher risk of suicide.Basically, the study contributed to a theoretical enhancement of the current level of knowledge on the existing literature on attachment styles and suicidal behaviours, achieved by testing empirically the adolescent behaviour. Therefore, suicide prevention programs should take into account adolescents’ attachment styles.

A pilot of a veteran suicide prevention learning collaborative among community organizations: Initial results and outcomes.

Veteran suicide remains an ongoing public health concern in need of fresh, community-based initiatives. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has built an enterprise-wide integrated behavioral health system that has pioneered numerous suicide prevention methods. However, most Veterans receive healthcare outside the VA, from organizations that may not be equipped to address Veteran suicide risk. One solution is implementing a VA/community suicide prevention learning collaborative to support organizations in implementing suicide prevention best practices for Veterans. Although learning collaboratives have a history of supporting improved patient safety in healthcare systems, to our knowledge, none have focused on Veteran suicide prevention. The current quality improvement project sought to pilot a VA/community suicide prevention learning collaborative in the broader Denver and Colorado Springs areas with 13 organizations that served, interacted with, or employed Veterans. The collaborative had a large footprint in the region, with organizations interacting with over 24,000 community members and over 5000 Veterans. Organizations implemented 92 Veteran suicide prevention program components within a 16-month period. Overall, the learning collaborative made significant strides in Veteran suicide prevention. Findings suggest that this method facilitates rapid implementation of Veteran suicide prevention practices and may be promising for accelerating uptake within communities.