Suicide Prevention
The month of September is internationally known as a time to raise awareness and promote resources for suicide prevention. The World Health Organization’s statistics indicate that suicide happens across the lifespan and is a global phenomenon impacting all regions in the world. Latest aggregate statistics indicate approximately one million people die due to suicide every year.
The prevalence and impact of suicide makes it a global public health concern. CARF’s footprint of accrediting more than 64,000 programs at more than 30,000 sites affords us the opportunity and responsibility to raise awareness of and vigilance in response to suicidal behavior in the organizations we accredit. Following publication of CARF's initial Quality Practice Notice on Suicide Prevention (PDF), CARF published standards for Comprehensive Suicide Prevention Programs in 2017 and added
screening for suicide risk to its assessment standards.
Screening for suicide risk in telehealth
Given the potential mental health and suicide-related impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, identifying people at increased risk of self-harm or suicide within the healthcare system is a higher priority now than ever before. As you know, the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted a rapid shift from traditional, face-to-face
healthcare encounters to various forms of virtual care. To support this change, the
National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention—the nation’s public-private partnership—has developed
COVID Guidance: Screening for Suicide Risk during
Telehealth Visits
, a supplement to the 2018
Recommended Standard Care for People
with Suicide Risk: Making Health Care Suicide Safe
. This new guidance outlines best practice recommendations for telehealth screening for suicide ideation.