Advocacy resources

These training videos are valuable to all advocates to help understand the legislative process, where you fit as an advocate for suicide prevention, and how you can make a difference in communicating with and educating your federal, state, and local lawmakers.

• Understanding AFSP Policy and Advocacy (2025 – 8min viewing time)
• Lawmaking Basics: How We Advocate at AFSP (2025 – 6min viewing time)
• Sharing Your Story (2015 – 1hr viewing time)
• Federal Sample Legislative Meeting Video (2020 – 5min viewing time)
• State Sample Legislative Meeting Video (2020 – 5min viewing time)
• How to Sign Up to be an Advocate (2024 – 1min viewing time)
• How to Log an Advocacy Action (2024 – 1min viewing time)

Get updated on the latest suicide facts and figures, learn what state laws are in place in each of our policy areas, see what federal and state bills AFSP is currently supporting this legislative session, and view any elections that may be coming up.

• State suicide prevention laws and fact sheets
• Federal legislation (current session)
• State legislation (current session)

These resources offer an in depth look at some of AFSP’s top public policy priorities. Readers will better understand the need for policy change in these areas, learn AFSP’s policy position, and view state laws across the country with respect to each priority. 

• LGBTQ Individuals & Communities
• 988 & Crisis Services
• Mental Health Parity
• Suicide Prevention in Schools (K-12)
• Suicide Prevention on University and College Campuses
• Training for Health Professionals in Suicide Assessment, Treatment, and Management

Hosted by the AFSP Public Policy Office and featuring other mental health and suicide prevention experts, these videos offer a more in depth look at some of our top policy areas. Sign up as an AFSP Volunteer Advocate to receive updates on future webinars (afsp.org/advocate).

• 988 and Crisis Lines
  • The State of 988 Part 1 (May 2021 – 1hr viewing time)
  • The State of 988 Part 2 (Sept. 2022 – 1hr viewing time)
  • Lifeline Webinar Part 1 (Sept. 2019 – 1hr viewing time)
  • Lifeline Webinar Part 2 (Sept. 2019 – 30min viewing time)
• Covid-19
  • Mental Health Reform & Suicide Prevention in the Era of COVID-19 (Sept. 2020 – 30min viewing time)
• Data Collection
  • A Comprehensive Approach to Suicide Prevention Part 1 (May 2023 – 1hr viewing time)
  • A Comprehensive Approach to Suicide Prevention Part 2 (Sept. 2023 – 1hr viewing time)
  • Chronic Conditions and Suicide Prevention (Oct. 2023 – 1hr viewing time)
• Firearms
  • Preventing Firearms Suicide (Sept. 2022 – 30min viewing time)
  • Extreme Risk Protection Orders: An Effective Tool to Prevent Firearm Suicides (September 2024 – 1 hour viewing time)
• K-12 Schools
  • K-12 Suicide Prevention Policies (Sept. 2020 – 30min viewing time)
  • Congressional Staff Briefing on Minority Youth Mental Health (October 2024 – 1hr viewing time)
• LGBTQ
  • Supporting LGBTQI+ Youth Through Policy and Action (June 2023 – 30min viewing time)
  • LGBTQ State Policy & Advocacy (Sept. 2023 – 1hr viewing time)
• Mental Health Parity
  • Mental Health Parity Webinar 2019 (Oct. 2019 – 1hr viewing time)
  • Mental Health Parity Webinar 2024 (May 2024 – 40min viewing time)
• Pregnant and Postpartum Individuals
  • Congressional Briefing on Maternal Suicide (September 2024 – 1.5hr viewing time)
• Veterans
  • Suicide Prevention for the Veteran Community (Nov. 2020 – 30min viewing time)
  • Preventing Veteran Suicide: Advocacy, Policies, and How You Can Help (May 2024 – 45min viewing time)
• Other
  • A Conversation with Congressional Champions for Suicide Prevention – Honoring Their Legacies and Looking Ahead (October 2024 – 1hr viewing time)

Featuring AFSP staff and volunteers, these blogs give readers an inside look at how changes to suicide prevention and mental health policies are making an impact on the ground.

• Being an AFSP Advocate
  • What It Means to Be a Suicide Prevention Advocate: Making a Difference in My State (July 2021 – 5 min read)
• 988 and Crisis Lines
  • Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Crisis Response Services: What They Are and How We Can Support Them (May 2022 – 4 min read)
  • Suicide Prevention Advocate Perspectives: Why the New 988 Crisis Number Matters – A Conversation with Tori Yeates of AFSP Utah (Mar. 2022 – 5 min read)
  • Suicide Prevention Advocate Perspectives: Why the New 988 Crisis Number Matters – A Conversation with Jen Preble of AFSP Montana (Mar. 2022 – 4 min read)
  • Suicide Prevention Advocate Perspectives: Why the New 988 Crisis Number Matters – A Conversation with Kirsten Krueger of AFSP South Dakota (Feb. 2022 – 5 min read)
• Education
  • A Mother’s Perspective: The Need for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Education in Schools (Apr. 2022 – 3 min read)
• Healthcare
  • Turning Listening into Legislation: Advocating for More Accessible and Affordable Mental Health Care (Apr. 2022 – 3 min read)
• Research, Surveillance, Data Collection, and Infrastructure
  • Join Me in Advocating for Suicide Prevention Research Funding (Apr. 2022 – 5 min read)
  • Supporting States in Building Suicide Prevention Infrastructure (May 2023 — 5 min read)
• Veterans
  • Advocating for Veteran Suicide Prevention in Central Texas (June 2022 – 2 min read)

Share your story safely with the Speaking Out About Suicide and #RealConvo guides. Arranged in an easy-to-read, step-by-step format, our #RealConvo Guides cover the following topics:

• Tips for starting and continuing a conversation about mental health
• How to respond if someone tells you they’re thinking about suicide
• Strategies for reaching out for help when you need it
• How to talk to someone who’s lost a loved one to suicide