AAFP Youth Suicide Prevention Resource Packets Available

September is National Suicide Prevention Month, and Ardmore Institute of Health (AIH) is sharing resources, developed by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) with grant support from AIH, to support physicians in recognizing, assessing, and preventing youth suicide.

Research suggests that suicide is the second leading cause of death among youths aged 10 to 19, and many people who attempt suicide see a family physician or other primary care clinician in the month before the event, according to this study. This highlights the unique opportunity for physicians to play a crucial role in youth suicide prevention.

AAFP, in collaboration with family physicians and staff from the Idaho chapter, developed physician- and patient-facing resource packets to help physicians interrupt suicide at the gates of primary care. As a result, physicians in Idaho and across the nation are better equipped to reduce the stigma around mental health, integrate Lifestyle Medicine concepts into their practices, and facilitate informed discussions with patients.

Click here to download the physician resource packet.

Click here to download the patient resource packet.

Related Grant: Community Engaged Lifestyle Medicine: Family Physicians Thinking Upstream, Acting Downstream