North Dakota
North Dakota suicide prevention plans and initiatives
The North Dakota Suicide Prevention Program, previously led by the Department of Health (NDDoH) Division of Injury & Violence Prevention, is now housed within the Department of Human Services (DHS) Behavioral Health Division. In 2017, prior to the move, NDDoH released the North Dakota Suicide Prevention Plan 2017-2020 to focus and coordinate statewide suicide prevention efforts; AFSP-North Dakota participated in development of the plan.
In April 2018, the DHS Behavioral Health Division released the North Dakota Behavioral Health System Study, an evaluation of the state’s behavioral health system written by the Human Services Research Institute (HSRI), which identified a shortage of prevention and early intervention services. The Division then launched the North Dakota Behavioral Health Vision 20/20 project, led by the Behavioral Health Planning Council and endorsed by DHS and the Governor’s office. Based on major recommendations from the HSRI report, the Council outlined the project’s strategic goals, including Zero Suicide implementation and other suicide prevention focused activities.
In 2023, the legislature established the Suicide Fatality Review Commission with the goals of identifying the risk factors, protective factors, systems, and services involved in suicide deaths and with making recommendations to improve community, service, and system responses to individuals at risk of suicide.