For Organizations

All of us can play a role in suicide prevention by learning the warning signs of suicide, having open conversations about suicide, and familiarizing ourselves with crisis resources. Beyond that, a variety of professionals are uniquely situated to play a role in suicide prevention and means safety efforts by implementing practices, policies, and more into their workplace.

Safety Planning

The Safety Planning Intervention is one strategy that has shown to help keep people safe when they are at risk for suicide. A Safety Plan opens in a new window should be developed to help a person identify their own coping skills and support options.    You can find a quick guide here. opens in a new windowopens PDF file

Counseling on Access to Lethal Means

Studies have shown that counseling on lethal means following suicidal behavior or discharge from behavioral health treatment or other inpatient settings can be effective in reducing suicide risk. CALM: Counseling on Access to Lethal Means opens in a new window is a free online course that covers how to identify people who could benefit from lethal means counseling, how to ask about their access to lethal methods, and how to work with them, and their families, to reduce access.

For profession specific resources, visit the links below:

Workplace Settings

Striving for Zero, California’s Strategic Plan for Suicide Prevention opens in a new window, includes workplaces as key settings for suicide prevention activities. Activities include promoting wellness and connectedness, increasing training and screening to promote identification and early intervention of risk, and in postvention after a suicide crisis or loss.

1. Encourage use of screening tools to identify problems early and connect people to help.

Screening helps identify problems early so people can be connected to the support they need before problems become crises. Self-screening tools can be shared with employees to assess their own risk or administered through trained counselors at EAP or other programs. It is important to provide assurance that screening results are confidential, and that screening is a means of encouraging employees to reach out to services and supports, not part of a performance review.

2. Offer suicide prevention trainings for managers, supervisors, Human Resources staff and more.

The suicide prevention trainings are designed to increase understanding of warning signs and how to effectively help someone who may be at risk. Visit the Community Resources page as a starting point to find trainings available in your area.

3. Promote behavioral health services & resources that promote wellness and address mental health and substance use issues.

Make sure employees are aware of services available through EAPs or health insurance, and if these are not available provide information about community resources.

4. Promote life skills, social connection and educational opportunities.

Offer wellness programs that promote health and resiliency, including topics such as problem solving, stress management, and conflict resolution. Wellness programs promote protective factors against suicide and contribute to a sense of community and belongingness in the workplace. Wellness programs can be online or in-person but should be included as part of an employee’s paid workday.

5. Develop a crisis and postvention plan that ensures a safe and compassionate response in a crisis or after a suicide.

The plan should include strategies for crisis intervention, connecting employees to crisis resources, support reintegration into work from those healing from a crisis or suicide loss, reducing access to lethal means, and a communication plan when a crisis has occurred.  Crisis and postvention plans should be updated regularly and filed or posted in prominent places so they are easy to locate on short notice.