TY - JOUR PY - 2021// TI - The Colorado National Collaborative: a public health approach to suicide prevention JO - Preventive medicine A1 - Reed, Jerry A1 - Quinlan, Kristen A1 - Labre, Magdala A1 - Brummett, Sarah A1 - Caine, Eric D. SP - e106501 EP - e106501 VL - 152 IS - Pt 1 N2 - OBJECTIVE: Suicide rates in the United States have risen dramatically during the 21st century despite national, state and local level commitments to prevention, improvements in the development and delivery of evidence-informed prevention approaches, and advances in epidemiological capacity to identify areas for targeted intervention. Complex problems require comprehensive solutions. In Colorado, that solution is a comprehensive, integrated public health collaboration that aligns diverse community and programmatic efforts across the prevention continuum. The Colorado National Collaborative (CNC) is pursuing a real-world test of the public health approach to suicide prevention by helping community coalitions deliver a package of evidence-informed activities in geographically defined community systems.

METHODS: The CNC began by identifying six diverse Colorado counties with high suicide rates or number of deaths. Working closely with community, state, and national partners, CNC identified existing community-level risk and protective factors, programs, and policies. This process provided insight on the overlay between existing efforts and identified burden centers and drivers.

RESULTS: The CNC team identified six components for strategic implementation: (1) connectedness, (2) economic stability and supports, (3) education and awareness, (4) access to suicide safer care, (5) lethal means safety, and (6) postvention. Evaluation is being conducted through a collaborative, participatory, and empowerment approach that incorporates stakeholders as leaders in all aspects of the process.

CONCLUSION: The CNC includes data-driven identification of populations at risk of suicide, community identification of protective factors, and true collaboration between prevention experts at the national, state, and local level in implementing a comprehensive approach to prevention. Lessons learned are discussed.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0091-7435 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2021.106501 ID - ref1 ER -