Evidence-Based Best Practices in Suicide Prevention: Practical Implementation Tips for Schools, Health Systems and Communities

By Robyn Hussa Farrell, Resiliency Technologies Founder & CEO

Recent peer-reviewed research provides compelling evidence for the effectiveness of structured suicide prevention training. Systematic reviews examining studies found that suicide prevention training programs significantly enhance capacity by improving attitudes, comprehension, competency and confidence in supporting suicidal individuals (Putri et al, 2025; Breet et al., 2021). Meta-analytic evidence demonstrates that gatekeeper training programs show substantial increases in knowledge, self-efficacy, and intervention behaviors, with gains maintained at follow-up assessments (Rosenblum et al., 2024). The 2024 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention emphasizes implementing effective training as a core component of healthcare delivery, highlighting the critical role of evidence-based approaches in building a competent workforce (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2024).

After leading this work for nearly 20 years in schools and communities, I offer this research foundation, analysis and practical guidance for implementing suicide prevention / postvention trainings in schools, communities and health systems.

5 strategies to improve individual, family and community resilience:

1.    Prioritize Safety Planning and Risk Assessment

The most impactful training components focus on practical, actionable skills. Among participants, safety planning and suicide risk assessment were consistently cited as the most valuable learning outcomes. These core competencies provide providers with structured approaches to immediate crisis intervention, moving beyond theoretical knowledge to life-saving practice.

Implementation strategies:

• Find the gold-standard suicide prevention tools and recommendations at trusted sources like Suicide Prevention Resource Center and Living Works.

• Within Sharpen’s professional development library, find access to an array of evidence-based suicide prevention / postvention courses (some only 1 hour in length) that include screening best practices, digital suicide safety planning implementation strategies and more.

• For school or clinical implementation, Sharpen DTX system is available to connect providers to the Computerized Adaptive Testing mental health screening and suicide screening (CAT-MH) tools with immediate warning system and interventions that can be prescribed to support a child or adolescent in crisis.  The DTX programs includes Sharpen’s digital suicide safety planning tools to bolster resilience and connectedness.

2.    Address Mental Health Stigma Systematically

Stigma reduction must be integrated into all training programs. Our data demonstrates that comprehensive training significantly reduces stigmatizing attitudes toward mental illness, creating therapeutic environments where individuals feel safe discussing suicidal thoughts.  Consider community task force models to engage an array of audiences into the conversation around prevention.

Implementation strategies:

• Suicide prevention task forces can be created to connect individuals, professionals, education systems and health systems into one unified conversation.

• Sharpen Mental Health Literacy (SMHL) is available for multiple audience groups and can easily be deployed.  Our program not only covers stigma reduction, but suicide prevention best practices along with co-morbid topics such as disordered eating prevention, dietetics and resiliency training.

• Empower peers to enhance their own mental health literacy so that they can model skills for younger / near peers.  Sharpen’s Peer Resiliency (SPR) program can be deployed to children ages 10 and up and provides skills training on stress management, emotional wellness and resiliency.

3.    Build Provider Confidence Through Structured Learning

Statistical evidence shows that well-designed training programs can eliminate low confidence levels entirely while increasing high-confidence providers from 49% to 72%.  We have found great success in training medical students, physicians and residents on mental health literacy and suicide prevention best practices in order that they can improve their own mental wellbeing while learning appropriate support for the children and families they serve.

One-time training sessions show limited long-term impact. Effective programs provide continuing education credits and sustained learning opportunities. Our partnership data reveals strong demand for expanded training topics, with all participants requesting additional suicide prevention or personal resilience training.

Implementation strategies:

• Sharpen Mental Health Literacy for medical students and physicians offers specific tools to bolster personal resilience for frontline workers.

• Sharpen offers specific professional training programs for physicians that include the intersection of trauma and suicidality and eating disorders and suicidality.

4.    Implement Multimodal Prevention Strategies

Successful programs integrate multiple approaches—direct suicide prevention training, mindfulness-based stress management, and stigma reduction—rather than focusing solely on crisis intervention. A great example is pain management or refusal skills trainings for youth in order to prevent substance or opioid use disorders and other risks for suicide.

Think more about the related protective factors that you can improve in order to foster comprehensive resilience at the individual, family and community levels.

Implementation strategies:

• In addition to the programs noted above, we have found great success in the clubs and programs that strengthen protective factors.

• Sharpen proudly serves as the mental health literacy / suicide prevention and peer resiliency platform for many state initiatives and youth serving organizations.

• Collaborate with those who have expertise implementing at scale.

5.    Measure and Validate Outcomes

Training effectiveness must be measurable through validated instruments and statistical analysis.  

Implementation strategies:

• Collaborate with local health systems or academic institutions who can provide research assistance

• Graduate students in public health (MPH) or community psychology often seek Capstone projects.  Check in with your local university to see if you can host a grad student at your program or project in exchange for a research study.

For more information about evidence-based suicide prevention training, visit Sharpen's professional development resources or email Robyn Hussa Farrell at rfarrell@sharpenminds.com.

About Robyn:

I have spent 20 years working to connect evidence-based mental health prevention and early intervention programs to K16 institutions.  My work designing and leading professional development trainings and suicide prevention programs for large-scale community partnerships has led to increased resilience on the child, family and community levels.  My work began in the arts – as an award-winning producer of live theatre in New York City for ten years.  As such, I have always had great interest in collaborating with different professionals to create something impactful. 

In 2005, my work shifted to public health, convening national researchers and thought leaders to create population-level change for children and families. Dr. Stephen Hinshaw became a mentor in 2009, sparking my focus on stigma reduction research and translational approaches to improve mental health literacy. My collaboration with Dr. Hinshaw and other researchers, translating their findings into engaging, actionable toolkits for diverse end users, has served as a model for partnerships with over 250 of the world's leading experts in neuroscience, psychiatry, and mental health. Through video-based listening sessions, I have also gathered insights from hundreds of individuals and families with lived experience. These interdisciplinary collaborations enabled me to develop evidence-based digital mental health programs that translate cutting-edge research into resilience-building interventions. I have deployed this programmatic content nationwide through Sharpen, a mental health technology platform I created to address critical gaps in child and adolescent mental health treatment.

References

Breet, E., Matooane, M., Tomlinson, M., & Bantjes, J. (2021). Systematic review and narrative synthesis of suicide prevention in high-schools and universities: a research agenda for evidence-based practice. BMC public health, 21(1), 1116. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-11124-w

Putri, A.K., McGrath, M., Batchelor, R. et al. Strategies and evaluation underpinning the implementation of suicide prevention training: a systematic review. BMC Public Health 25, 889 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-21999-8

Rosenblum, K., Dunphy, C., Wang, J., Frantz, K., Hulkower, R., & Wong, S. (2024). Changes in State Laws on Suicide Prevention Training for School Staff, 2002-2022. Public health reports (Washington, D.C. : 1974), 139(6), 750–759. https://doi.org/10.1177/00333549241249922

Schmeckenbecher, J. P., Lentner, S., Emilian, C. A., Plener, P. L., Baran, A., & Kapusta, N. D. (2024). E-learning as a tool of suicide prevention training: A meta-analysis and systematic review. Death Studies, 48(9), 962-974. https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2023.2297058

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2024). 2024 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention. https://www.hhs.gov/programs/prevention-and-wellness/mental-health-substance-use-disorder/national-strategy-suicide-prevention/index.html

Underwood, D., Kuehl, T., & Coleman, D. (2024). Online versus in-person gatekeeper suicide prevention training: comparison in a community sample. Community Mental Health Journal, 60, 605-612. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638237.2024.2332811