Suicide Prevention Resource Center

Challenge

Suicide claims nearly 50,000 lives each year and is the second leading cause of death among Americans aged 15–39. But with more attention being paid to suicide prevention than ever before, research, advocacy, and new prevention and treatment initiatives promise to save countless lives and promote hope.

EDC is a key partner in operating the national Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC), which plays an essential role in building U.S. capacity to prevent suicide. As the nation’s only federally supported resource center devoted to advancing the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (NSSP), SPRC provides technical assistance, training, and materials to support a strong foundation for comprehensive suicide prevention in states, health systems, tribes, schools, and communities across the country.

Key Activities

SPRC promotes collaboration among a wide variety of partners and builds capacity in evidence-based suicide prevention strategies that save lives. EDC SPRC staff:

  • Lead efforts to support and improve state and territory suicide prevention infrastructure and capacity
  • Work with diverse prevention professionals and leaders, such as policymakers, business leaders, community groups, school health personnel, and behavioral health care professionals
  • Provide secretariat support and communications leadership for the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the nation's public-private partnership to advance the NSSP
  • Provide subject matter expertise and collaborate with partners to promote evidence-based care for individuals at risk for suicide in health systems

Impact

Over the past 21 years, EDC’s work on the SPRC project has resulted in the following:

  • Provided technical assistance that contributed to reduced youth suicide deaths and attempts among SAMHSA's youth suicide prevention grantees between 2005 and 20201
  • Reached over 5,000 health system leaders and clinicians with the Zero Suicide Listserv
  • Brought together hundreds of organizations and leaders from the public and private sectors to advance the NSSP through the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention
  • Helped write strategic suicide prevention plans in all 50 states, contributing to substantial gains in state suicide prevention infrastructure2

1Walrath, C., Garraza, L. G., Reid, H., Goldston, D.B., & McKeon, R. (2015, May). Impact of the Garrett Lee Smith youth suicide prevention program on suicide mortality. American Journal of Public Health, 105(5), 986–93. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2014.302496

2Suicide Prevention Resource Center. (n.d.). State and territorial suicide prevention needs assessment homepage. https://sprc.org/SNA/

Learn More

Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC)
:
PROJECT DIRECTOR
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DURATION
2002-Present
FUNDED BY
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
PARTNERS

(Prime) University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC)