Research: A Key to Prevention Advocacy Forum June 22, 2015

AFSP’s Vision, Position and Bold Goal Vision: A world without suicide Position: Leading the fight to prevent suicide Bold Goal: To reduce the suicide rate in the U.S. 20% by 2025

AFSP’s Comprehensive Approach Funds scientific research Offers educational programs for professionals Educates the public about causes, prevention Promotes policies and legislation Provides support, information, opportunities for involvement for those bereaved by suicide, people at risk and their families

Research Informs Our Work

Investing in Science “There is every reason to expect that a national consensus to declare war on suicide and to fund research and prevention at a level commensurate with the severity of the problem will be successful, and will lead to highly significant discoveries as have the wars on cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and AIDS.” – Institute of Medicine, Reducing Suicide: A National Imperative (2002)

AFSP’s Research Investment AFSP was founded by researchers and families that lost love ones Goal was to create a sustainable private source of support for research into suicide The leading private funder of suicide research 120 funded studies over 5 years, 25% of all studies Funding 30 new scientific studies per year Over $9 million in current research Focus Grants, larger studies, focus on priority gap(s)

Our Investment is Increasing

Action Alliance Research Task Force: Prioritized Agenda Consensus document on research priorities Developed with stakeholder, researcher input The “agenda“ has been used by AFSP to raise private support for research, determine our funding priorities, advocate for federal research dollars

The Prioritized Agenda Research objectives cover 6 key questions: – Why do people become suicidal? – How can we better detect/predict risk? – What interventions are effective, what prevents someone from engaging in suicidal behavior? – What services are most effective for treating the suicidal person and preventing suicidal behavior? – What other types of interventions (outside health care settings) reduce suicide risk? – What research infrastructure is needed?

What Can Be Done? Federal investment in research needs to increase in order to reduce suicide in America The Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act, H.R is a start It authorizes $40 million a year for 5 years to NIMH for “research on the determinants of self and other directed violence, including studies directed at reducing self-harm, suicide, interpersonal violence”

YOUR QUESTIONS ?