WASHINGTON STATE SUICIDE PREVENTION INITIATIVES

Washington has been making great strides in the effort to prevent suicide. In 2018 there was a large increase in community and state efforts dedicated to suicide prevention, some of which include the following:

Washington State Suicide Prevention Plan is based on core principles identified by the State Suicide Prevention Plan Steering Committee as key values and attitudes. These principles state that:

• Suicide is preventable.
• Everyone has a role in suicide prevention.
• Silence and stigma are harmful.
• Known factors contributing to suicide must be changed.
• Prevention should be based on best available research and best practices.
• Persons deserve dignity, respect, and the right to make their own decisions.

Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resilience in Education), through the Office of Superintendent of Public Education, equips adults to detect and respond to youth mental health issues.

The Safer Homes, Suicide Aware campaign was developed by Forefront Suicide Prevention at the University of Washington School of Social Work in collaboration with the Second Amendment Foundation. It offers training for healthcare clinicians, pharmacists, gun dealers, and firearms instructors in recognizing and responding to the warning signs of suicide. The campaign encourages the safe storage of firearms and medications in a variety of settings, including hospitals, gun stores, and homes. In collaboration with local gun rights advocates, Safer Homes has also piloted the distribution of free firearm locks and safety cases (SPRC, 2017c; UW, 2019).

Confident Action and Referral by Educators (CARE) is a free suicide prevention training module offered by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and designed for anyone who works with students (WAHCA, 2019).