Zero Suicide- Strengthen Access & Delivery of Suicide Care

Through federal funding the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Violence and Injury Prevention Section (VIPS) will provide support to one organization for the purpose of implementing the zero-suicide approach among people at risk in communities with disproportionally affected populations, under the CDC Expansion of Comprehensive Suicide Prevention Across the U.S. Grant Program. The CDC Comprehensive Suicide Prevention funding opportunity supports implementation and evaluation of a comprehensive public health approach to suicide prevention in the U.S. This approach a) convenes and connects multisectoral partners (e.g., public health, mental health, people with lived experience); b) uses data to identify vulnerable populations (i.e., disproportionately affected populations [DAP]), understand contributors to suicide, and track trends in morbidity/mortality; c) assesses gaps in existing programs in the jurisdiction (d) implements complementary strategies with the best available evidence from Suicide Prevention: Resource For Action; and e) communicates trends, progress, successes, and lessons learned to partners. The approach is rigorously evaluated with a focus on continuous quality improvement and sustained impact. The purpose of the CDC Comprehensive Suicide Prevention funding is to implement and evaluate the comprehensive approach, with attention to one or more DAP, (e.g., veterans, rural communities, tribal populations, LGBTQ, homeless, other) that account for a significant proportion of the suicide burden and/or have suicide rates greater than the general population in a jurisdiction(s) (e.g., state, county, tribe). Key outcomes include a 10% reduction in suicide morbidity and mortality in the DAP(s), in the chosen jurisdiction.