Zero Suicide Implementation in Outpatient Mental Health Clinics

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US, killing more than 47,000 Americans each year. US suicide deaths have increased dramatically, a staggering 62% increase over the past two decades. While suicide research has made great strides in the development of "best practices" for screening, risk assessment, suicide-specific clinical interventions, and follow-up protocols, there is a striking gap between assessment and intervention development and the implementation of these practices in typical clinical settings.Furthermore, very little research has explored if the "best practices" recommended by clinical experts and researchers are deemed feasible, acceptable, or even desirable by clients experiencing suicidal thoughts and behavior.