Suicide prevention resources for primary care providers | Department of Public Health & Environment

This page contains tools, materials, and training opportunities for primary care providers working to prevent suicide in Colorado.

Print materials

Order free materials directly for your practice, or you may email us with a list of materials desired, quantity, and a physical address for shipping.

Suicide Prevention Toolkit for Primary Care Practices - Newly revamped toolkit available for free electronic download. If you have questions, email us for more information.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) publications:
- After an Attempt: A Guide for Taking Care of Your Family Member After Treatment in the Emergency Department (English and Spanish available).
- After an Attempt: A Guide for Taking Care of Yourself After Your Treatment in the Emergency Department (available in English and Spanish).
Colorado Crisis Services:
- Press and Materials.
How to Talk to a Child About a Suicide Attempt (Rocky Mountain MIRECC for Suicide Prevention):
- Educational booklet that offers parents and caregivers information and guidance for different age groups on:
  - Understanding unique developmental challenges and needs of preschoolers, school-age children, and teens.
  - Knowing what to share, how much to share, and when.
  - Explaining core concepts such as depression and hopelessness.
  - Promoting resiliency while taking care of self and others.
National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention
- Suicide Care in Systems Framework.
Final Recommendation Statement - Depression in Adults: Screening - The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force recommends that all adults be screened for depression, including pregnant and postpartum women.
Zero Suicide - Learn more about the initiative, download free toolkits and materials, and learn how your practice can transform using these key strategies in order to provide "perfect depression care."
Safe-Guard Your Home-A Guide to Suicide Prevention at Home: English | Spanish - resources for patients on steps to reduce access to lethal means within the home.

Find a training opportunity

Behavioral Health In Primary Care Modules:
- Men and Depression.
- Obesity and Depression.
Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment Training for Substance Abuse (SBIRT).
Evidence-based Gatekeeper training in Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR).
Online training modules are available for purchase (Kognito).
Counseling on access to lethal means (CALM) - free online training on how to counsel patients on restricting access to lethal means.
Zero Suicide in Health and Behavioral Health Care - Learn about the effective framework in providing "perfect depression care" to reduce suicide within health care settings.
PsychArmor Institute - Access free online courses (some with CE credits available) to help build skills and knowledge on how to effectively work with, live with, or care for veterans.

SB19-195: Child And Youth Behavioral Health System Enhancements

In May 2019, The Child and Youth Behavioral Health System Enhancements bill was signed into law, addressing behavioral health services and policy coordination for at-risk children and youth. The Office of Behavioral Health (OBH) contracted with the Colorado Health Institute to create a menu of screening tools for identifying behavioral health issues among children ages 0 to 26 and in perinatal individuals. This work was mandated by Senate Bill 19-195, which required OBH to "select developmentally appropriate and culturally competent statewide behavioral health standardized screening tools for primary care providers, which may be made available electronically for health care professionals." Due to the novel COVID-19 global pandemic, state revenue shortfalls for the 2020-21 fiscal year eliminated all funding established for Senate Bill 19-195. For more budget information please see the Long Bill and House Bill (HB) 20-1384, which amended the statute to make the work subject to available appropriations (funding).