2023-2024 Public policy priorities
The following four overarching pillars will guide AFSP’s public policy and advocacy priorities for the next biennium. Download to read a brief summary or access the full report.
Research, Surveillance, Data Collection, and Infrastructure
Designing and implementing effective national and state suicide prevention strategies requires a comprehensive understanding of who is dying by suicide and when.
This priority pillar includes:
- State infrastructure
- Architectural barriers and structures
- Federal funding
Access to Care and Services
Geographic distancing, social isolation, inadequate access to mental health care providers, limited medical facilities, and social stigma can all contribute to suicide risk.
This priority pillar includes:
- 988 and crisis services
- Telehealth
- Mental health parity
- Workforce expansion
Diverse, Underserved, and Disproportionately Impacted Communities and Populations
AFSP fights against discriminatory policies and seeks to learn from and with diverse individuals and communities how to best promote mental health and prevent suicide in underserved areas.
This priority pillar includes:
- First responders, corrections staff, and frontline healthcare workers
- LGBTQ individuals and communities
- Veterans, servicemembers, and their families
- Children, teens, and young adults
Systems Change and Firearms Suicide Prevention
With guidance from the top minds in the field and dynamic data modeling, AFSP has identified and prioritized critical areas where suicide risk can be potentially reduced for the greatest number of people in the shortest amount of time.
This priority pillar includes:
- Firearms
- Healthcare systems
- Emergency departments
- Corrections systems