Army Suicide Prevention Program (AR 600-92)

Army Suicide Prevention Program goals

The Army's ultimate goal is to prevent suicides

How does the Army Suicide Prevention Program work towards its goal?

This is accomplished by building a culture of resilience, reducing risk, and strengthening Soldiers by increasing protective factors such as coping skills and help-seeking behavior through a combination of prevention, intervention and postvention activities.

What are the three components of the Suicide Prevention Program

prevention, intervention, and postvention

Describe prevention

Prevention focuses on the range of educational, training, and outreach activities to equip Soldiers, DA Civilians, and Family members with knowledge and skills to strengthen abilities to prevent becoming overwhelmed with life circumstances

Describe Intervention

Intervention includes alteration of the conditions that produced the current crisis, treatment of underlying condition(s) that may have contributed to suicidal behaviors, and follow-up care to assure positive outcome

Describe postvention

Postvention refers to a range of activities following suicide behaviors and is a part of the overall spectrum of suicide prevention. After an event, commanders, noncommissioned officers (NCOs), and installation personnel will take steps to secure and protect individuals

Four tiers of suicide prevention activities

Sustain, Protect, Engage, Act

Describe the ACE model

Ask, care, escort

Describe Ask

be willing to ask the question "are you thinking of harming yourself or others?"

Describe Care

1. Control the situations without being forceful

2. Actively listen

3. Remove any means of self injury.

Describe Escort

1. Never leave your buddy alone

2. Escort to the CoC, behavioral health, Chaplain or Primary Care Provider

3. Call Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

What are the predominant emotions that are risk factors for suicide

hopelessness and helplessness

What are some warning signs of suicide?

1. Talk of suicide or murder

2. giving away property

3. withdrawal

4. relationship problems

5. bizarre behavior

6. UCMJ

7. Financial problems

8. Reservists that have lost a job/spouse job loss

9. Soldiers leaving the service