EDC will present on Community Led Suicide Prevention (CLSP) the virtual Suicide Research Symposium April 23rd-25th, 2025.
Suicide Research Symposium 2025
We hope to see you at our session on school suicide prevention!
Session
Improvements in Self-Reported Suicide Capacity After Community-Led Suicide Prevention Academy
When: Friday, April 25th; 15-minute (12-12:15PT/3-3:15ET) presentation during Oral Session 37: Community and Public Health Strategies for Suicide Prevention
Presented by: Sommer Albert, Training and Technical Assistance Associate
Description: The 2024 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention underscores the need for community-based efforts to reduce suicide risk. EDC’s Community-Led Suicide Prevention (CLSP) toolkit directly responds to this call by offering communities hands-on tools to blend best practice approaches with local context. In 2023, EDC piloted a two-day CLSP Academy with seven Missouri coalitions, followed by a yearlong Community of Practice (CoP) webinar series for ongoing skill development. In Summer 2024, two coalitions participated in a post-program evaluation, with one retaking a pre-program readiness assessment and both completing a 45-minute key informant interview.
The post-programming assessment revealed substantial knowledge and skill gains, particularly in partner engagement, data use, strategic planning, and collaboration with diverse community groups. This coalition also reported achieving its pre-program goals and strengthening its capacity to implement suicide prevention strategies after participating in the Academy. Key informants shared that the Academy was highly effective in deepening coalitions’ understanding of core prevention concepts, enhancing peer learning, and boosting coalition confidence in comprehensive program development. The CoP further reinforced these skills by offering continued learning and application opportunities.
Key takeaways from overall programming emphasized the value of coalition structure, partnership building, and integrating health equity into prevention. Participants also highlighted the strategic planning process as crucial in organizing their efforts. Informants also recommended future CLSP enhancements, such as more diverse coalition examples, enhanced practical funding guidance, and the continued use of easy-to-use tools and concepts. These findings affirm the CLSP’s structured, adaptable approach in fostering sustainable, community-driven suicide prevention.
Resources
Community-Led Suicide Prevention Toolkit
Getting Started Guide: Community-Led Suicide Prevention
CLSP At-A-Glance Information Sheet
Community Stories: How Communities Used the 7 Elements
Sommer Albert, MSW, is a senior prevention specialist and trauma-informed facilitator with expertise in technical assistance, community building, youth education, and suicide prevention across clinical, K–12, and higher education settings.