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2024 Public Perception Data reveals an increase in helpful perceptions, attitudes and beliefs around mental health and suicide prevention: How LivingWorks training programs can help you make your community suicide safer 

2024 Public Perception Data reveals an increase in helpful perceptions, attitudes and beliefs around mental health and suicide prevention: How LivingWorks training programs can help you make your community suicide safer 

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Since 2015, The Harris Poll – a global consulting and market research firm – has conducted a bi-annual online survey that polls adults across the United States about their perceptions, attitudes and beliefs surrounding mental health and suicide prevention. These surveys have been commissioned by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) and the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention.  

The newly released 2024 Public Perception Data shows an increase in positive perceptions, attitudes, beliefs and understanding of mental health and suicide prevention, with most people believing access to suicide prevention needs to be a top priority.  

Here are some of the data points highlighted in the 2024 survey results, and how LivingWorks suicide prevention and intervention training programs can help make communities across the globe suicide safer. 

Suicide prevention skills in the community 

According to the 2024 Public Perception Data, since 2018, those who say they know someone who has thought about, attempted, or died by suicide has risen – 61% say they know someone who has thought about, attempted, or died by suicide, or have worried that someone might be thinking about suicide, and 25% have personally thought about or have made a suicide attempt.  

This data highlights the need for suicide prevention skills training throughout all communities. The good news is the 2024 Public Perception Data highlights that 77% of adults in the U.S. would be interested in learning how to play a role in helping someone who may be experiencing thoughts of suicide, and 89% of respondents believe they can make a difference.  

LivingWorks suicide prevention and intervention training programs are evidence-based, and help learners keep their communities across the globe safer from suicide. LivingWorks’ vision imagines a world where people with suicide thoughts or experiences are well supported to keep safe, access help and find hope. Our training programs give learners the confidence to reach in and have a conversation with anyone, anywhere – whether it’s at home, at work, or in the community. 

LivingWorks’ suicide prevention and intervention skills training programs can help create a Network of Safety in your community that allows community members to help and rely on each other, where everyone has a role to play.  

Networks of Safety are created when competent helpers work together to prevent suicide. They rely on individuals willing and able to help someone with thoughts of suicide keep safe. They are strengthened by community attitudes and actions that encourage people to seek help, empower those who provide help, and facilitate connections to ongoing care.  

Networks of Safety can be created within families, among friends, in an organization, faith community, or sports club – anywhere that people live, work, play or receive care.  

Suicide prevention resources from employers 

The 2024 Public Perception Data also highlights that 92% believe employers have a role in supporting mental health and suicide prevention. LivingWorks delivers suicide prevention and intervention skills training within small, medium and large workplaces in all industry sectors. This includes construction, healthcare, technology, business, agriculture, hospitality, education, entertainment and manufacturing. 

A 2012 study titled “Exploring organisational influences on the implementation of gatekeeper training: a qualitative study of the Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) programme in Wales” highlights the positive impact LivingWorks ASIST training can have on any organization. 

The study found that a shared knowledge of LivingWorks ASIST “facilitates implicit understanding and emotional empathy between colleagues as they are aware of what intervention entails and what the challenges may be. A further benefit of discussing interventions with colleagues is that it provides reassurance.” 

  • LivingWorks can help you design an approach that meets your workplace’s unique needs 
  • Workplace suicide prevention and intervention training has the best results when all levels of employees are involved, including leadership 
  • Our training has built-in participant feedback and outcome reports so you can measure the impact of your investment and compare it to sector benchmarks 

Learn the skills to make your communities suicide safer 

LivingWorks ASIST 

Trusted by professionals and approved by the World Health Organization, LivingWorks Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) is the only workshop of its kind. Updated continually to reflect new knowledge, LivingWorks ASIST has been training people to provide suicide first aid interventions for more than 40 years. 

At a LivingWorks ASIST workshop, you’ll learn how to recognize when someone may be thinking about suicide, and how to provide a skilled intervention and develop a safety plan with the person to connect them to further support. 

LivingWorks safeTALK 

LivingWorks safeTALK is a four-hour training that equips people to be more alert to someone thinking of suicide and better able to connect them with further help. Using a simple yet effective model, LivingWorks safeTALK empowers everyone to make a difference. With over 120,000 people attending each year, it’s the world’s fastest-growing suicide prevention skills training program. 

LivingWorks Start 

In just 90 minutes online, LivingWorks Start trains participants to recognize when someone may be thinking about suicide and how to connect them to help and support. LivingWorks Start was developed with input from experts in suicide prevention, education, psychology, public health, social work, faith communities and the military. 

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