Cooperative Agreement for Networking, Certifying, and Training Suicide Prevention Hotlines

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services is accepting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2012 for a Cooperative Agreement for Networking, Certifying, and Training Suicide Prevention Hotlines. The purpose of this program is to manage, enhance, and strengthen the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (referred to as the Lifeline), SAMHSA’s system of toll-free telephone numbers that routes calls from anywhere in the United States to a network of certified local crisis centers that can link callers to local emergency, mental health, and social service resources. The technology permits calls to be directed immediately to a suicide prevention worker who is geographically closest to the caller. This initiative is expected to increase and improve public access to crisis intervention services and to promote a consistent and evidence-informed approach to crisis hotline, chat, and text services throughout the network. Priorities and awareness raising activities will also be directed towards ensuring that the prevention needs of diverse populations, including but not limited to, the needs of high-risk populations identified by the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention; lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) youth, American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN), military family members and veterans are addressed. The Lifeline is a 24-hour, confidential suicide prevention hotline available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. Callers from anywhere in the United States can call a single toll-free number to be routed to the closest crisis center within the Lifeline’s network of more than 150 certified local crisis centers that can link callers to local emergency, mental health, and social service resources.  Since its launch in 2005, the Lifeline has grown to more than 150 centers, answered more than 3 million calls, facilitated timely and ongoing communication with existing networked centers, developed suicide risk assessment standards and guidelines for helping callers at imminent risk of suicide, and maintained a strong social media presence to increase awareness about suicide prevention resources and recognition of warning signs.  The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline has also partnered with the Department of Veterans Affairs since 2007 to provide crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to callers who are veterans or active duty military, as well as their families are addressed. SAMHSA has demonstrated that behavioral health is essential to health, prevention works, treatment is effective, and people recover from mental and substance use disorders. Behavioral health services improve health status and reduce health care and other costs to society.  Continued improvement in the delivery and financing of prevention, treatment and recovery support services provides a cost effective opportunity to advance and protect the Nation’s health. To continue to improve the delivery and financing of prevention, treatment and recovery support services, SAMHSA has identified eight Strategic Initiatives to focus the Agency’s work on improving lives and capitalizing on emerging opportunities. The Networking, Certifying, and Training Suicide Prevention Hotlines aligns with SAMHSA”s Strategic Initiative 1: Prevention of Substance Abuse and Mental Illness Strategic Initiative, Goal 1.3: Prevent suicides and attempted suicides among populations at high risk, especially military families, youth, and American Indians and Alaska Natives; Objective 1.3.2: Increase public knowledge of the warning signs for suicide and actions to take in response; Objective 1.3.3: Increase the use and effectiveness of the Veterans Suicide Prevention Hotline/Lifeline. The Cooperative Agreement for Networking, Certifying and Training of Suicide Prevention Hotlines grant is authorized under Section 520A of the Public Health Service Act, as amended. This announcement addresses Healthy People 2020 Mental Health and Mental Disorders Topic Area HP 2020-28. This cooperative agreement is financed in part by 2012 Prevention and Public Health Funds (PPHF-2012).