Residents Encouraged to Access New Website for Suicide Prevention

SPAN encourages residents to educate themselves and others on ways to prevent suicide and strengthen mental health by accessing and promoting resources on a newly redesigned website.
Page updated on March 18, 2022 at 1:58 PM
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Residents Encouraged to Access New Website for Suicide Prevention

A DCHS CONNECT NEWS HIGHLIGHT

December 18, 2020--During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is especially important to be aware of ways to safeguard mental health. According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the U.S. On average, there are 132 suicides a day.

The Suicide Prevention Alliance of Northern Virginia (SPAN) encourages residents to educate themselves and others on ways to prevent suicide and strengthen mental health by accessing and promoting resources on SPAN’s newly redesigned website at suicidepreventionnva.org

The new mobile friendly site is designed to make finding help, information and resources easy, whether you are in crisis or just interested in learning more. Highlights include:

  • Check-Up from the Neck-Up, a free self-screening tool for mental health

  • Easy to scan lists of Risk Factors, Warning Signs and How You Can Help: Five Steps

  • A "Get Help Now" tab on every page with linked hotlines and text lines

  • SPAN suicide prevention videos for teens, peers and parents

To help community members and professionals navigate the region's resources, the website also has links to local government mental health care through Community Services Boards; links to COVID resources for each jurisdiction; and curated suicide prevention tools, infographics, reports and resources.

In addition to SPAN’s online suicide prevention resources, City of Alexandria residents can also obtain free firearm locks and medicine lock boxes through SPAN’s Lock & Talk. According to AFSP, firearms accounted for 50 percent of all suicide deaths, and 19 percent of people who complete suicide use poison or medication. 

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call PRS CrisisLink at 703.527.4077 or text CONNECT to 85511.