Suicide Prevention: Strategies

Preventing suicide requires coordination and cooperation from every sector of society. 

Wisconsin's current suicide prevention plan was released in September 2020: Suicide in Wisconsin: Impact and Response, P-02657 (PDF). The Wisconsin Suicide Prevention Plan consists of four strategies that align with the 2012 National Suicide Prevention Strategy. The state suicide prevention plan is updated approximately every five years. 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services updated the nation's suicide prevention plan in 2024. See the 2024 National Suicide Prevention Plan.

Some of our current projects related to suicide prevention are listed below. 

Building protective factors

Strengthening Families. This program promotes social connections, knowledge of parenting/caregiving and child development, social and emotional competence of children, social connections, family support systems, and parental/caregiver resilience. It is designed to enhance child development and reduce the likelihood of child abuse and neglect. With federal funding through a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we've partnered with Ashland County Health and Human Services, Focus on Community, Northwest Connections, Oneida County Health Department, Parenting Network, and Pointters Community Initiatives to host training sessions for parents and caregivers on coping and problem-solving skills using this framework. Learn more at StrengtheingFamiliesProgram.org. 

Sources of Strength. This is a school-based suicide prevention program that focuses on building a sense of belonging, coping skills, problem-solving skills, and help-seeking behaviors. With federal funding through a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we've partnered with Cooperative Educational Service Agency 6 (CESA 6) to coordinate trainings on this model for schools in Dane, Fond du Lac, Milwaukee, Sheboygan, and Winnebago counties. Learn more at SourcesOfStrength.org.

End Family Fire campaign. This is a national campaign developed by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and the Ad Council. With federal funding through a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we are sharing messages through different media channels that highlight responsible firearm ownership through the practice of safe firearm storage. Learn more at EndFamilyFire.org. 

Gun Shop Project. We have awarded funding to the Medical College of Wisconsin to work with firearm retailers and range owners to share guidelines on how to avoid selling or renting a firearm to a person in distress and encourage the posting and distribution of suicide prevention materials. This effort also supports free and low cost firearm storage. This work is supported by a federal grant through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Learn more at LiveTodayPutItAway.org.

Drug disposal. In partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Justice, we support drug take back events and drug drop boxes. We also support the distribution and use of at-home drug deactivation and disposal pouches. These events, boxes, and devices provide state residents an opportunity to clear their residences of unused and expired medications so they are not taken for nonmedical purposes. Many of our staff promote drug disposal options as part of their day-to-day work supported by state and federal funding. 

Expanding access to help

988 Wisconsin Lifeline. In partnership with Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin, we support the 988 Wisconsin Lifeline, the state's contact center for calls, texts, and chats to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. This free service provides connection to a trained counselor 24/7. The 988 Wisconsin Lifeline is funded by federal grants received through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. 

Child Psychiatry Consultation Program. In partnership with the Medical College of Wisconsin, we support the Child Psychiatry Consultation Program. This service provides guidance to primary care providers on the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of behavioral health concerns. This project is funded by state general purpose revenue, which is money raised by the state mainly through taxes.

Telehealth services. We are bringing mental health care to rural areas through a collaboration with Newcap. Newcap is adding computer kiosks in its offices that allow people to connect with service providers elsewhere in the state through telehealth services. Community health workers are providing digital literacy training to help people understand how to use the technology. This project is funded by a federal grant through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Peer services. Sometimes, the best remedy for a difficult moment is the attention of someone who understands. That's what peer services are all about. People with similar life experiences supporting each other in reaching their full potential. Wisconsin’s network of peer services includes statewide options for support by phone, drop in, and overnight stays. These efforts are funded primarily by federal grants through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. 

Implementing best practices in health care systems

Zero Suicide. In partnership with Mental Health America of Wisconsin, we promote implementation of the Zero Suicide quality improvement framework in health and behavioral health care organizations. This work involves a systems change approach to safer suicide care. Mental Health of America of Wisconsin holds a Zero Suicide training and learning collaborative each year open to all health and behavioral health care organizations in Wisconsin. This project is funded by a federal grant through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. 

Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM). In partnership with CALM America, we promote use of the CALM model by health care providers. Aspirus Health and Children's Wisconsin have received grants to use this model to teach their teams tools to intervene with patients before and during times of crisis. This project is funded by a federal grant through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Supporting local efforts

We have awarded grants to prevent and reduce suicidal actions in children with a serious emotional disturbance and adults with a serious mental illness to 10 organizations.

• CAP Services, Stevens Point
• Great Rivers United Way, Onalaska
• Journey Mental Health Center, Madison
• Lad Lake, Dousman
• Mental Health America of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
• Newcap, Green Bay
• Pointters Community Initiatives, Menasha
• VPI, Appleton
• WestCare Wisconsin, Milwaukee
• Workforce Resource, Menomonie  

The funded efforts include help building coping skills and support networks, training for community partners on how to respond to someone with suicidal thoughts, and training for organization staff on effective mental health therapy techniques.

These grants are the result of 2023 Wisconsin Act 85. The funds come from Wisconsin’s portion of the federal Community Mental Health Services Block Grant.

Collecting information on suicide prevention activities

We have received a federal grant through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to gather information on suicide prevention programs and activities in Wisconsin. The goal of this effort is to understand what's happening around the state so that future programming avoids duplication of existing efforts, complements existing efforts, and fills gaps that may exist. 

Complete this online form to share information on the work of your organization.