Resources for Your Community

The following programs and guides can support those who seek to implement suicide prevention initiatives in their communities.

  1. NCDHHS Injury and Violence Prevention Branch, Comprehensive Suicide Prevention Program: The NCDHHS Comprehensive Suicide Prevention Team offers free trainings, webinars, conferences and much more, to build statewide capacity for suicide prevention.
  2. Connect with a Local Suicide Prevention Team: Through ncIMPACT’s Carolina Across 100, Our State Our Wellbeing Program, 15 teams from 24 counties are partnering to prevent suicide in North Carolina. If you’re interested in supporting local efforts, email carolinaacross100@sog.unc.edu to be connected with a team near you. 
  3. NC Secure All Firearms Effectively: Help us raise awareness about the urgent need to effectively secure firearms in North Carolina. Firearms are the most common method of suicide for youth and adults. Additionally, firearms are the leading cause of injury-related death for children and youth in the state, and firearm thefts are on the rise. If you own a firearm, make sure it’s safely secured, including in your car. Safe storage is an essential part of responsible firearm ownership and firearm safety starts with you. 
  4. Project ChildSafe: Project ChildSafe is a comprehensive firearm safety and education program—created by gun owners, for gun owners. Project ChildSafe offers a range of free and downloadable firearm safety educational materials such as toolkits, videos, and infographics. To locate free firearm safety kits, which include a cable-styled gun lock, visit Project ChildSafe Get a Safety Kit.  
  5. Promote the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: The 988 Partner Toolkit is a resource center for social media, video, print, radio, FAQs, messaging, and other marketing materials that can be used to promote the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It is designed for states, territories, tribes, crisis centers, communities, emergency service providers, and other partners to speak with one voice so there is a clear understanding about the 988 Lifeline and how it works.
  6. Youth and Teen Mental Health First Aid for NC Schools and Youth Serving Organizations: Register for a training course.
  7. American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP): Established in 1987, the AFSP is a voluntary health organization that gives those affected by suicide a nationwide community empowered by research, education and advocacy to take action against this leading cause of death. AFSP creates a culture that’s smart about mental health by engaging in the following core strategies: funding scientific research, educating the public about mental health and suicide prevention, advocating for public policies in mental health and suicide prevention, and supporting survivors of suicide loss and those affected by suicide.
  8. Hope: A Guide for Faith Leaders to Help Prevent Youth Suicide | National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention: This guide, developed in partnership with the HHS Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships and the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, provides faith leaders with guidance for identifying and helping youth who may be at risk for suicide.
  9. Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention for LGBTQIA2S+ Youth – Suicide Prevention Resource Center: This series of guides can help professionals, families, and communities support the mental well-being of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, and Two-Spirit (LGBTQIA2S+) youth.
  10. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Suicide Prevention Institute: The Suicide Prevention Institute's (SPI) long-term mission is to provide accessible alternatives to every person in the State of North Carolina who is contemplating suicide and to do its best to ensure that no more families have to face the tragedy of losing a loved one to suicide. The SPI team unites researchers, clinicians, educators, policymakers, people of faith, those in marginalized communities, and lived experience advisors to rapidly deploy scalable evidence-informed primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention interventions for suicide.
  11. American Association of Suicidology – Suicide Prevention is Everyone's Business: The American Association of Suicidology is a world leader in the development, implementation, and facilitation of accreditation, certification, and training programs. Available programs are based on evidence-supported and best practices to uphold standards of care for those impacted by suicide.
  12. National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention: Established in 2010, the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention (Action Alliance) is the nation’s public-private partnership for suicide prevention, working with more than 250 national partners to advance the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention. Current Action Alliance's priority areas include: transforming health systems, transforming communities, and changing the conversation.
  13. Ready-To-Use VA Mental Health Materials: Share readymade materials to educate Veterans about the mental health resources and support available from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. These materials are designed to build awareness of the mental health challenges that Veterans may face — and the many treatment options available. Download materials for seasonal observances, social media posts for various mental health topics, and general information to share on your website and at outreach events.