Statewide suicide initiatives and plans

The original National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (NSSP), released in 2001, called for the development of comprehensive state suicide prevention plans that would guide and coordinate suicide prevention activity across public and private agencies and organizations.  Since then, all U.S. states have developed a suicide prevention plan, and many have formed distinct suicide prevention offices or public-private partnerships to advance those plans.

Effective statewide suicide prevention plans must address suicide prevention among a wide variety of vulnerable populations. There must be ongoing funding available from the state or other sources to make prevention activities and programming possible. Collaboration and coordination among state and local agencies and organizations is critical to developing a comprehensive and effective statewide approach to suicide prevention.

The most recent National Strategy was revised in 2024. NSSP revisions prompt many states to evaluate their own initiatives and plans to ensure their consistency with the latest advances in suicide prevention knowledge, research, policy, and practice.

AFSP advocates for state initiatives and plans that:

• Address suicide prevention across the lifespan
• Encourage active and full implementation by public and private partners across the state
• Are funded and sustainable
• Collect data, evaluate progress, and make revisions as necessary

We encourage active AFSP chapter participation in the development and implementation of state suicide prevention initiatives and plans.

• Visit afsp.org/statefacts to download AFSP State Fact Sheets for recent suicide mortality data and rankings, and to learn more about existing statewide suicide prevention activities and related state laws – updated annually for all 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico
• Visit the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) to view your state’s current suicide prevention plan and contact information for your state’s suicide prevention coordinator and/or coalition(s)
• Access SPRC’s State Suicide Prevention Infrastructure Recommendations and related tools
• Download AFSP’s supplemental resource, Using the SPRC State Suicide Prevention Infrastructure Recommendations, for guidance on bringing the recommendations to the attention of state lawmakers and other decision-makers
• Access data reports from the SPRC State and Territorial Needs Assessment, conducted annually between 2021 - 2024
• View the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials' Suicide Prevention Offices and Committees Legal Map
• View the updated National Strategy for Suicide Prevention and Federal Action Guide, both released in 2024