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Suicide prevention framework will save lives

CANADA, May 15 - New clinical guidance will offer best practices for recognizing and supporting people at risk for suicide, helping more people get the right care and saving more lives.

“Every life lost to suicide is a profound tragedy,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “This new framework represents a critical step in ensuring that individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts can access the support they need to move toward hope and healing. It sets a clear path for how we will care for and support those most at risk.”

In partnership with the Province, the Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division (CMHA BC) led the development of a suicide-risk-reduction framework to support health-care organizations in improving care provided to people at risk for suicide. It will apply to patients who are 18 and older and are accessing mental-health or substance use care in hospital emergency departments, acute psychiatry or medical inpatient units or outpatient mental-health services.

“People experiencing a mental-health crisis need to be met with compassion and person-centred care,” said Amna Shah, parliamentary secretary for mental health and addictions. “When someone is experiencing thoughts of suicide, it is especially important that they get timely supports for as long as they need. This framework will support our health-care facilities in offering best practice guidance so clinicians can help more people with the right care.”

Through an early, consistent, and systematic process, the framework offers guidance to enhance the detection of individuals at risk for suicide. It also provides suggestions that can help eliminate bias and barriers to care, including stigma and experiences of discrimination or Indigenous-specific racism.

It also includes best practices to maximize the patient’s safety during and after their care. With a tailored care plan, evidence-based treatment, effective transition to community care, and follow up and monitoring post-discharge, better outcomes can be achieved.

"When someone is struggling with thoughts of suicide, asking compassionate questions and truly listening can make all the difference,” said Jonny Morris, CEO, CMHA BC. “This framework helps health-care teams have these vital conversations, understand each person's unique story, and support informed decisions about care. We're deeply grateful to the Province of B.C., our partners, and especially the courageous and wise individuals whose lived experiences shaped this important work."

Building on best practices in Canadian and international jurisdictions, the framework was created with input from people with lived and living experience with mental-health crises. Indigenous cultural safety is embedded throughout the framework, as Indigenous Peoples disproportionately experience poorer health outcomes within the health-care system.

In addition to prioritizing cultural safety, the framework is based on a foundation of patient and family engagement, trauma-informed care and close collaboration with community care providers, which can help ensure the continuity of care.

“The release of the suicide-risk reduction framework is an important step for British Columbia, and I want to thank our partners for their collaboration,” said Lesley Lutes, professor, director of the Centre for Obesity and Well-Being Research Excellence, department of psychology, UBC Okanagan; and director of advocacy, BC Psychological Association. “When we treat mental health with the same level of rigour and evidence-based interventions as we do with physical health, we save lives.”

This work is part of the Province’s efforts to build up the entire continuum of mental-health and substance-use care for people to get the right support for them. This includes increasing early intervention and prevention, adding and expanding treatment and recovery services, building complex care housing, adding overdose prevention services and more.

If you are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including thoughts of suicide, call 1 800 SUICIDE (784-2433).

Quick Facts:

  • In Canada, approximately 12 people die by suicide each day, which translates to 4,500 deaths per year.
  • In B.C., there are an average of approximately 615 deaths by suicide every year.
  • Males accounted for 75% of suicide deaths in B.C. in 2023.
  • In Canada, overall suicide rates are higher among some Indigenous populations than non-Indigenous populations.
    • Suicide rates across First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities vary greatly.
  • Deaths by suicide in the province more than double the motor vehicle fatalities in B.C.

Learn More:

To see the suicide-risk-reduction framework, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/SuicidePrevention_Framework.pdf

To find mental-health and substance-use supports in B.C., visit: https://helpstartshere.gov.bc.ca/

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