Key lessons from implementing a zero-suicide framework in a youth service

📰 Newsletter

Suicide and suicidal behaviour among children and adolescents is a significant concern, and services are seeking new ways to meet the needs of individuals and families seeking care. 

A recently published paper (Brandjerdporn et al., 2024) describes lessons learned in implementing the first Suicide Prevention Pathway based on the Zero Suicide Framework at a Child and Youth Mental Health Service in Queensland, Australia. 

The pathway includes elements that feature in the SafeSide Framework: the use of prevention-oriented risk formulation; safety planning, including lethal means safety and routine follow-up; and extensions of care. 

For anyone interested in systems approaches to suicide prevention, this article is worth a close read as the authors bring out the nuances involved in applying the Zero Suicide Framework in a youth setting. Here are three key learnings. 

  1. A systems approach is needed. This includes:
  • Understanding the strengths and risks for the individual youth, as well as their family and their broader context.
  • A focus on systemic and cultural change as well as training, a pathway of care, and data-driven continuous improvement.
  1. Engaging parents/carers and other support is critical. While youth buy-in and collaboration are important, having parents/carers and other adults involved in and contributing to contingency and safety planning, including lethal means safety, is non-negotiable.  
  2. Engaging young people takes time and effort, so follow-ups are crucial to building rapport and understanding their perspective, especially since they may not open up initially at emergency presentations.  

Bottom line: This paper provides practical insights into the strategies the authors used to adapt an adult suicide prevention pathway based on the Zero Suicide Framework for a Youth Mental Health service. It will be a valuable resource for those interested in systems approaches to suicide prevention in a range of settings, including youth services. 

Note: SafeSide Prevention founder Prof. Tony Pisani was a contributing author to this article. Read about SafeSide’s link to Gold Coast’s Mental Health and Specialist Service here.