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The State of Alaska’s Suicide Prevention unit maintains an active listserv to keep all who are working to prevent suicide within our state up-to-date with suicide prevention efforts throughout Alaska. This includes various trainings, opportunities, and partner updates. Sign up here for the Alaska Gatekeeper listserv to receive regular updates.

350 Main Street, Room 214
P.O. Box 110609
Juneau, Alaska 99811-0609

Feeling down or thinking of suicide?

Please know that you can
feel better about yourself
and your life.

For free, confidential help 24/7, call the Alaska Careline:

or text 4help to 839863
3-11 p.m. Tues.-Sat.;
standard rates

Prevention partners:

The Council writes Alaska's suicide prevention plan. See what steps you, your agency, and your community can take.

SCHOOL SUICIDE PREVENTION in Alaska

Alaska Suicide Prevention

Suicides, like motor vehicle deaths, are preventable. Collectively, we bring risk down through public policies and attitudes, infrastructure, and the timely intervention of professionals, friends, family and strangers.

The state suicide prevention program offers grants, resources and training for individuals and communities.

Community-Based Suicide Prevention Program

Alaska Postvention Project

Postvention is responding to a suicide to minimize the risk of additional attempts, and to help communities heal. Postvention happens before and after a suicide. This is similar to preparedness planning and response for natural disasters such as earthquakes or floods.

• 2020 Planning Guide: 2020 Alaska Suicide Postvention Guide: Preparing to Heal
  Step-by-step help for communities to plan ahead in case of a suicide. Has sections for schools, families, funeral speakers, clergy and more.
• Brochure: Coping with Losing Someone to Suicide
• Training: Connect: Helps communities and service providers respond in a coordinated and comprehensive way after a suicide or any sudden death.

Training

Many suicide prevention trainings are available for the public and providers.

Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS)
is a suicide specific treatment modality that includes assessment and treatment of a patient's suicidal risk. It is a flexible intervention that aligns with various therapeutic frameworks. The Division of Behavioral Health is currently offering different forms of training in this treatment modality.

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST): Training is designed to help all caregivers become more willing, ready and able to help persons at risk. ASIST is offered by the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) and the Trust Training Cooperative. In addition to scheduled classes, additional classes can be arranged. Contact: Hillary Strayer, or Jill Ramsey.

Zero Suicide Initiative

Zero Suicide is an evidence based framework to provide safer suicide care within healthcare settings. This framework is a priority of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention and has been implemented around the globe. The Division of Behavioral Health has been working to bring this initiative to Alaska, by establishing a Statewide Zero Suicide Program Coordinator position, providing trainings to primary health and behavioral healthcare providers, as well as numerous other efforts. For additional information related to this initiative, contact Sheli Delaney.

Resources

Additional information about suicide:

• Suicide Prevention Resource Center
• American Association of Suicidology
• National Center Injury Prevention and Control
• Suicide Prevention Action Network USA
• Data about Suicide in Alaska
• Alaska Violent Death Reporting System (AK VDRS)

Materials

The state suicide prevention program produces suicide prevention materials, and regularly works with nonprofit and community partners to distribute them and promote suicide prevention. Please click here for more information.