Goal: Improve postvention support for those who lost a loved one to suicide.

Postvention refers to activities that reduce risk and promote healing after a death by suicide. Effective postvention response requires preparation ahead of a loss and should include input from suicide loss survivors.

Objective: Increase community level readiness to support individuals experiencing suicide loss.

Action Steps:

1. Provide evidence-informed education on postvention support, across community sectors, for individuals experiencing suicide loss, especially for groups disproportionately affected by suicide deaths.

2. Provide postvention support training for law enforcement, first responders, funeral directors, clinicians, school administrators and staff, employers, peer supporters, military support personnel, lawyers, and faith leaders. This list is not all inclusive and might not be applicable to all communities.

3. Incorporate postvention responses to and programs for suicide loss into all suicide prevention programs, funding, and services.

• Increase funding opportunities for postvention research to understand how different cultures grieve after a suicide death and develop culturally attuned postvention resources. If available, provide resources in multiple languages and graphics for individuals. 
• Increase funding for postvention programming and resources.

4. Develop proactive policies in workplaces that provide employees support after a suicide death including support groups, community resources for grief support, and wellness check-ins for a year following the death.

• Develop policies in healthcare organizations that provide clinicians and employees support after a suicide death, of a client or co-worker, for at least a year following the death. 
• Develop policies in schools that provide immediate postvention support for students, parents, and staff, use safe messaging to prevent contagion, and integrate postvention into all suicide prevention policies.

5. Encourage the designation of lead organizations in each county or region to coordinate suicide postvention efforts.

6. Provide culturally informed suicide loss resources in multiple languages understanding that not all cultures and individuals grieve the same. Partner with communities to create or adapt resources if they do not exist already.