Surgeon Generals Call To Action To Prevent Suicide 1999

On July 28, 1999, Tipper Gore and Surgeon General David Satcher hosted a press conference at which the Surgeon General unveiled a blueprint to prevent suicide in the United States. The document outlines more than a dozen steps that can be taken by individuals, communities, organizations and policymakers.

Suicide is a serious public health problem that causes immeasurable pain, suffering, and loss to individuals, families, and communities nationwide. Many people may be surprised to learn that suicide was one of the top 10 causes of death in the United States in 2009. And death is only the tip of the iceberg. For every person who dies by suicide, more than 30 others attempt suicide. Every suicide attempt and death affects countless other individuals. Family members, friends, coworkers, and others in the community all suffer the long-lasting consequences of suicidal behaviors. Suicide places a heavy burden on the nation in terms of the emotional suffering that families and communities experience as well as the economic costs associated with medical care and lost productivity. And yet suicidal behaviors often continue to be met with silence and shame. These attitudes can be formidable barriers to providing care and support to individuals in crisis and to those who have lost a loved one to suicide. More than a decade has passed since Surgeon General David Satcher broke the silence surrounding suicide in the United States by issuing The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent Suicide. Published in 1999, this landmark document introduced a blueprint for suicide prevention and guided the development of the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (National Strategy). Released in 2001, the National Strategy set forth an ambitious national agenda for suicide prevention consisting of 11 goals and 68 objectives. The revised National Strategy is a call to action that is intended to guide suicide prevention actions in the United States over the next decade. The National Strategy includes 13 goals and 60 objectives that have been updated to reflect advances in suicide prevention knowledge, research, and practice, as well as broader changes in society and health care delivery that have created new opportunities for suicide prevention. Some of the major developments addressed in the revised National Strategy include: A better understanding of how suicide is related to mental illness, substance abuse, trauma, violence, and other related issues; New information on groups that may be at an increased risk for suicidal behaviors; Increased knowledge of the types of interventions that may be most effective for suicide prevention; and An increased recognition of the importance of implementing suicide prevention efforts in a comprehensive and coordinated way. Because suicide is closely linked with mental illness, in the past, suicide prevention was often viewed as an issue that mental health agencies and systems should address. However, the vast majority of persons who may have a mental disorder do not engage in suicidal behaviors. Moreover, mental health is only one of many factors that can influence suicide risk. For example, enhancing connectedness to others has been identified as a strategy for preventing suicidal behaviors and other problems. All of us can play a role in helping to make this protective factor more widely available. Suicide prevention is not exclusively a mental health issue. It is a health issue that must be addressed at many levels by different groups working together in a coordinated and synergistic way. Federal, state, tribal, and local governments; health care systems, insurers, and clinicians; businesses; educational institutions; community-based organizations; and family members, friends, and others—all have a role to play in suicide prevention. The revised National Strategy reflects this understanding. Suicide prevention efforts must involve a wide range of partners and draw on a diverse set of resources and tools. The National Strategy seeks to do so by integrating suicide prevention into the mission, vision, and work of a wide range of organizations and programs in a comprehensive and coordinated way.

Suicide is a serious public health problem that causes immeasurable pain, suffering, and loss to individuals, families, and communities nationwide. Many people may be surprised to learn that suicide was one of the top 10 causes of death in the United States in 2009. And death is only the tip of the iceberg. For every person who dies by suicide, more than 30 others attempt suicide. Every suicide attempt and death affects countless other individuals. Family members, friends, coworkers, and others in the community all suffer the long-lasting consequences of suicidal behaviors. Suicide places a heavy burden on the nation in terms of the emotional suffering that families and communities experience as well as the economic costs associated with medical care and lost productivity. And yet suicidal behaviors often continue to be met with silence and shame. These attitudes can be formidable barriers to providing care and support to individuals in crisis and to those who have lost a loved one to suicide. More than a decade has passed since Surgeon General David Satcher broke the silence surrounding suicide in the United States by issuing "The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent Suicide." Published in 1999, this landmark document introduced a blueprint for suicide prevention and guided the development of the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (National Strategy). Released in 2001, the National Strategy set forth an ambitious national agenda for suicide prevention consisting of 11 goals and 68 objectives. What has changed since the National Strategy was released in 2001? Where have efforts been successful, and where is more work needed? What new findings from scientific research can help enhance suicide prevention efforts and improve the care provided to those who have been affected by suicide? What lessons learned can help guide suicide prevention efforts in the years to come? To assess progress made to date and identify remaining challenges, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) commissioned the report "Charting the Future of Suicide Prevention." Published in 2010, the report identified substantial achievements in suicide prevention in the years following the release of the National Strategy. Informed by this assessment, the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention (Action Alliance), a public-private partnership focused on advancing the National Strategy, formed an expert task force to revise and update the National Strategy. This document is the product of that task force's deliberations and also reflects substantial input from individuals and organizations nationwide with an interest in suicide prevention. The revised National Strategy is a call to action that is intended to guide suicide prevention actions in the United States over the next decade. Appended are: (1) National Strategy for Suicide Prevention Goals and Objectives for Action Summary List; (2) Crosswalk of Goals and Objectives from 2001 to 2012; (3) Brief History of Suicide Prevention in the United States; (4) Groups With Increased Suicide Risk; (5) General Suicide Prevention Resources; (6) Glossary; and (7) Federal Working Group Agency Descriptions. [This paper is a report of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention.].

Suicide exacts an enormous toll from the American people. Our Nation loses 30,000 lives to this tragedy each year, another 650,000 receive emergency care after attempting to take their own lives. The devastating trauma, loss, and suffering is multiplied in the lives of family members and friends. This document, National Strategy for Suicide Prevention – Goals and Objectives for Action, lays the foundation of our Nation's strategy to confront this serious public health problem. At this document's source are countless dedicated individuals representing every facet of our Nation's communities. They include representatives to a 1993 United Nations/World Health Organization Conference who played key roles in establishing guidelines for national suicide prevention strategies. They include the passionate grassroots activists whose work stimulated Congressional Resolutions declaring suicide prevention a national priority and calling for our own national strategy. They include dedicated public servants and private individuals who jointly organized and participated in the first National Suicide Prevention Conference in 1998 to consolidate a scientific base for this critical endeavor. These people and their efforts led directly to publication of the Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent Suicide - 1999 with its most important recommendation, the completion of the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention. After listening to the concerns of the American people, Government leaders helped bring stakeholders together in a shining example of public- private collaboration to achieve this major milestone in public health. Those who have invested their hearts and minds in this effort believe it effectively points the way for organizations and individuals to curtail the tragedy of suicide and suicidal behavior. Though it does not specify all the details, it provides essential guidance and suggests the fundamental activities that must follow–activities based on the best available science. Nearly half of the States are engaged in suicide prevention and many have already committed significant resources to implement programs. Their leadership in evaluating the effectiveness of these programs will help guide the efforts of States that follow in their paths. Most of these plans recognize that much of the work of suicide prevention must occur at the community level, where human relationships breathe life into public policy. American communities are also home to scores of faith-based and secular initiatives that help reduce risk factors and promote protective factors associated with many of our most pressing social problems, including suicide. As you read further, keep in mind that the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention is not the Surgeon General's strategy or the Federal government's strategy; rather, it is the strategy of the American people for improving their health and well-being through the prevention of suicide.