SAMHSA’s New Suicide Prevention Mobile App To Help Health Care Providers Save Lives

SAMHSA unveiled a free, new mobile app called Suicide Safe that will help health care providers assist patients with suicidal ideation and behaviors.

For individuals at risk of suicide, behavioral health and primary care settings provide unique opportunities to connect with the health care system and access effective treatment. Almost half (45%) of individuals who die by suicide have visited a primary care provider in the month prior to their death, and 20% have had contact with mental health services.¹

Suicide Safe, SAMHSA’s new suicide prevention app for mobile devices and optimized for tablets, helps providers integrate suicide prevention strategies into their practice and address suicide risk among their patients. Suicide Safe is a free app based on SAMHSA’s Suicide Assessment Five-Step Evaluation and Triage (SAFE-T) card.

Help spread the word about Suicide Safe.

SAMHSA’s Suicide Safe helps providers:

• Learn how to use the SAFE-T approach when working with patients.
• Explore interactive sample case studies and see the SAFE-T in action through case scenarios and tips.
• Quickly access and share information, including crisis lines, fact sheets, educational opportunities, and treatment resources.
• Browse conversation starters that provide sample language and tips for talking with patients who may be in need of suicide intervention.
• Locate treatment options, filter by type and distance, and share locations and resources to provide timely referrals for patients.

Suicide Safe, SAMHSA’s free suicide prevention app, is available for iOS^® and Android^™ mobile devices.

By: SAMHSA

¹ Luoma JB, Martin CE, Pearson JL. Contact with mental health and primary care providers before suicide: a review of the evidence. Am J Psychiatry. 2002;159:909-916.