The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) is pleased to submit its FY 2022 Annual Report on Activities Related to Suicide Prevention pursuant to § 37.2-312.1 of the Code of Virginia (HB 569, 2018).

Suicide is a complex public health problem that requires a cross-sector, multi-pronged approach to successfully address. Risk factors for suicide can exist on the individual, family, community, and the societal level. Suicide prevention efforts seek to reduce risk factors and increase protective factors to promote resiliency in populations.

The activities in this report are a summary of the DBHDS-funded suicide prevention efforts occurring across Virginia.

The report details the work of DBHDS and prevention staff at Region 1 Community Services Boards are doing to implement Lock & Talk, the Commonwealth’s lethal means safety campaign and the partnerships they have created across Virginia to make the campaign a nationally-recognized success.

Also highlighted are the collaborative efforts of frontline prevention staff at all 40 Community Services Boards to reduce suicide in their localities. They have been busy implementing social media campaigns, promoting crisis lines, training community members in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) among others, partnering with law enforcement for National Night Out events and Crisis Intervention Training (CIT), teaching suicide prevention curriculums in the schools, hosting community conversations about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and launching environmental campaigns to reduce stigma and inform the public about community resources.

Details of the activities of the Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans and their Families (SMVF) Team is included, with special attention given to the new Virginia Identify Service Members Screen for Suicide and Refer (VISR) pilot program. The program was designed to increase human services personnel’s understanding of military culture, suicide prevention and to build out safety planning infrastructure in community agencies for SMVF at risk of suicide.

The work of the Suicide Prevention Interagency Advisory Group (SPIAG) is also highlighted. The group, consisting of non-profits, local and state government, schools, clinicians, and advocates, meets every other month to share data, updates, trainings, and identify ways to collaborate. SPIAG membership continues to grow. Their input this past year was instrumental in the creation of the upcoming 2023 Suicide Prevention Across the Lifespan: A Plan for the Commonwealth of Virginia document, still in development. This document, once released, will provide an updated framework for directing suicide prevention efforts across the Commonwealth.