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Developing Proactive Policies & Protocols

It is important to develop a locally coordinated, systematic service delivery response network that will ensure that youth at risk for suicide receive timely assessments, effective care, efficient follow-up, and careful monitoring. Many communities have opted to develop proactive protocols and policies that spell out the respective functions and responsibilities of each service delivery agency. Partners that are most commonly included are: hospital emergency departments, community based mental health centres, schools, police, crisis response programs, and child protection offices.

The process of developing these protocols is valuable in itself since it typically provides an excellent opportunity for agency representatives to meet together to discuss their particular service mandates, clarify criteria for referrals, provide updates on their programs and share common concerns.

For examples of detailed and extensive protocol development for local suicide prevention, click here.