The document discusses the Zero Suicide initiative to eliminate suicides among patients in healthcare systems. It provides examples of successes in reducing suicide rates through robust quality improvement efforts, such as a one-third reduction in the US Air Force suicide rate over six years and a 75% decrease in suicide deaths at Henry Ford Health System within four years of pursuing the goal of zero suicides. In September, leaders will gather in Atlanta to create an international consensus document and plan for expanding the Zero Suicide social movement through the Atlanta Declaration.

1. Zero Suicide & The
Atlanta Declaration
DAVID COVINGTON, LPC, MBA—
RECOVERY INNOVATIONS, INC.
http://davidwcovington.com

2. The Forgotten Patients

3. Polling Question #1
Suicide can be prevented:
A. Never in Those Truly Intent on Suicide
B. Sometimes, but Only in Advance of Acute
Risk
C. Always, but Only in Advance of Acute Risk
D. Always, Even Up to the Last Moment

4. US Air Force Initiative
“[At the start] there was a lot of debate about whether
or not it was even possible to reduce suicide through this
type of an effort,” according to David Litts. “A lot of
people, including mental health practitioners, were
skeptical. But over a six-year period, the suicide rate
dropped by one-third.”

5. After becoming a finalist for a Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation grant, Don Berwick challenged the HFHS
team to pursue perfection. A nurse staff member
suggested that would mean zero suicide deaths. Within
four years, their death rate had decreased by 75 percent.

6. Robust Quality Improvement

7. Polling Question #2
Someone who died by hanging with their
hands bound behind their back and feet tied
together was probably a murder, not a
suicide.
A. True
B. False

8. Prior to 2000, there was little research on crisis call
center effectiveness, and credibility was low. Since 2005,
Link2Health has dramatically increased calls and
capacity, started a Veteran’s hotline, added
chat technology, and introduced best practice standards
now utilized worldwide.

9. Arizona DHS and Magellan Health challenged the
provider network to eliminate health plan suicides. In
2011, Behavioral Healthcare cited a 38% reduction in
deaths, decreased hospitalizations and dramatic
increases in staff confidence.

10. Polling Question #3
The risk of death by suicide for those with
Serious Mental Illness is how much greater
than the general population?
A. The Same Rate
B. Two Times Greater
C. Four Times Greater
D. Six to Twelve Times Greater

11. Systems Framework
In 2011, a task force of the National Action Alliance set
out to identify the best practice toolkit of interventions
for clinical care staff. The group was captivated by the
cultural and system changes of the pioneers below, and
designed and published a framework for replication.

12. Revised US National Strategy
In 2012, the US Surgeon General and the National Action
Alliance published a revised national strategy with new
goals 8 and 9, calling for suicide prevention to become a
“core component” of health care, and for improved
professional and clinical practices, respectively.

13. 1st International Summit
Leaders from New Zealand, the UK, the US and the
Netherlands met at IIMHL in Oxford, UK. Dutch
psychiatrist Jan Mokkenstorm: “We are at the beginning
of this journey and start out from the core value that not
one of our patients should die alone and in despair.”

14. Washington DC Academy
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service
Administration (SAMHSA) funds the first cohort of 16
organizations and 48 leaders to develop implementation
plans. Faculty include champions from IFH, Centerstone
America and Group Health. The SPRC organizes and
hosts the event.

15. UK Country-wide Initiative
In January, UK Deputy PM Nick Clegg promised a “Zero
Suicide” campaign of charities, voluntary organizations,
and the NHS in “every part of England.” He referenced
pilots in Merseyside, the east of England, and the
southwest that have employed the Henry Ford model.

16. In June, US News & World Report described the systematic
transformation of the largest non-profit Community Mental
Health Center in the country, Centerstone America, and its
ambitious Zero Suicide protocols which reduced its suicide
death rate 65% in less than two years.

17. Atlanta Declaration
In September, a group of 40 service users, healthcare
providers and government policy makers will gather in
Georgia. The International Initiative for Mental Health
Leadership match will create an international consensus
document and plan for expanding the social movement.

18. Contact Us
CEO & President
David.Covington@recoveryinnovations.org
Social Networking
http://davidwcovington.com
http://davidwcovington.com