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Suicide Prevention
Overview|Resources
What is the issue?
Suicide is a serious public health problem with lasting, harmful effects on individuals, families, and communities. Suicide is one of the top 10 causes of death in Canada. Among those aged 15 to 24, suicide is the second leading cause of death after car accidents. Suicide and mental health are deeply connected -- it’s estimated that 90% of people who die by suicide were experiencing a mental health problem or illness.
There are, however, programs, strategies and evidence that make a difference. Suicide prevention and life promotion are possible. We all have a role to play.
What are we doing?
Promoting mental health and preventing mental illness and suicide wherever possible is 1 of the 6 strategic directions of Changing Directions, Changing Lives: the Mental Health Strategy for Canada. That’s why the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) is committed to promoting life and preventing suicide in Canada, and is collaborating with many partners to increase capacity for suicide prevention, intervention and postvention.
The MHCC is uniquely positioned to champion mental health issues and to support others who take up the call. MHCC works closely with partners such as the Public Health Agency of Canada and supports their Federal framework for Suicide Prevention. MHCC also works with both the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention (CASP) and the Centre for Suicide Prevention, who are working to reduce suicide rates and minimize the harmful consequences of suicide by educating, facilitating, supporting, and advising.
As part of our commitment, we developed and will continue to develop a suite of resources on life promotion and suicide prevention. Take a look at some of the resources we’ve already developed!
Roots of Hope - A community suicide prevention project
Roots of Hope is a multi-site, community-led project that aims to reduce the impacts of suicide within communities across Canada. The project builds upon community expertise to implement suicide prevention interventions that are tailored to the local context. It will lead to the development of an evidence base, including best practices and suicide prevention guidelines and tools, to support the scale up and implementation of a “made-in-Canada” model across the country.
#sharehope
The #sharehope wall makes it possible for all Canadians to spread messages of hope and resilience to those who may be vulnerable to suicide. Anyone can participate via Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or Tumblr by using the hashtags #sharehope or #partagezespoir. Even those not on social media can be part of the conversation by simply clicking on the “add a post” button at the top of the blue box on the #sharehope page.
Suicide: Facing the Difficult Topic Together
Together with mdBriefCase and CASP, we have developed online modules for family physicians and nurses to enhance their capacity to implement suicide prevention into their practice.
Toolkits
The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC), in collaboration with the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention, the Centre for Suicide Prevention, and the Public Health Agency of Canada has developed 2 toolkits to support people who have been impacted by suicide. One toolkit is tailored for people who have attempted suicide, and the other is focused on resources for people who have lost someone to suicide.
Preventing suicide: a community engagement toolkit was developed by the World Health Organization with support from MHCC. This toolkit stems from MHCC’s #308conversations initiative, a grassroots campaign inviting Canada’s then 308 Members of Parliament (now 338) to host a community meeting in their riding about suicide prevention, including providing them with tools to lead these dialogues.
Webinars
A repository of webinars on suicide prevention, life promotion, intervention and postvention.
Fact sheets
Information Fact sheets about Bullying, Injury prevention, and Trauma-informed care, developed in partnership with CASP, the Centre for Addictions and Mental Health, and the Centre for Suicide Prevention.
Research on Suicide and its Prevention: What the Current Evidence Reveals and Topics for Future Research is a summary of a scientific literature review on suicide and its prevention. This literature summary is part of an ongoing co-lead initiative with the Public Health Agency of Canada aimed at building a shared Canadian research agenda on suicide and its prevention.
The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) is committed to promoting mental health and wellness and preventing suicide in Canada and has made work in this area a top priority. Click on the links below for more information.
