SPRC Home > Best Practices Registry > Adherence to Standards
Section III: Adherence to Standards
Materials listed in this section include programs, practices, policies, protocols, and awareness materials that
have been developed and implemented in specific settings such as schools, communities, clinics, or campuses
(the terms program and practice are used interchangeably to refer to all activities and/or
materials posted in this section of the BPR.) The content of these materials has been reviewed to assess adherence
to current program development standards and recommendations in the field. This listing below includes only
materials submitted to and reviewed according to BPR Section III criteria and is not a comprehensive inventory of
all suicide prevention programs.
Being listed in this section indicates that the program content meets the standards
outlined below. It does not mean that the practice has been proven effective through evaluation or is "recommended"
by SPRC or AFSP. For programs that have been evaluated and proven effective, see
Section I: Evidence-Based Programs. While not the same as proven effectiveness,
adherence to standards is an important aspect of developing practices that are likely to be successful. For more
information and resources about effective program planning, see
Advice on Using the BPR.
Section III listings are organized into three categories.
- Awareness and Outreach Materials include public service announcements, videos, brochures and other materials designed to convey basic information, for example, statistics about suicide, the impact of suicide on communities, and the location of services and resources. The objective of materials in this category is to increase awareness related to suicide prevention. While an important foundation for prevention, such materials in-and-of-themselves rarely are sufficient to prevent suicidal behavior. Effective prevention requires more intensive programs that go beyond awareness to address underlying risk and protective factors for suicide.
- Educational and Training Programs not only increase awareness, but also aim to increase knowledge and adaptive attitudes towards suicide prevention. Training programs typically require an instructor and include the additional objective of increasing participants' skills to perform prevention-related behaviors. Generally, to be effective, skill instruction should incorporate role-playing and/or practice exercises.
- Protocols and policies establish rules or standards that are designed, if implemented as intended, to contribute to a reduction in suicidal behavior in the designated setting.
Section III Criteria
To be eligible for review, the program must address
specific objectives
of the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention. In addition, program materials must be available to the
field through a website or contact person (the BPR posts only information about practices, not the materials
themselves.)
Each practice is rated on fifteen criteria:
- Accuracy of Content (1 criterion)
- Likelihood of Meeting Objectives (1 criterion)
- Programmatic Guidelines: based on the AAS Guidelines for School-based Suicide Prevention Programs (PDF) (4 criteria)
- Messaging Guidelines: based on the Safe and Effective Messaging Guidelines (PDF) (9 criteria)
The Section III Application Guidelines (PDF) contain a detailed
description of these criteria.
Resources Related to Section III Criteria:
This page lists links and resources for developing suicide prevention content that is accurate, likely to meet objectives, and
consistent with current standards in the field.
Review Process
Each program is reviewed by three suicide prevention experts. The criteria are rated on a scale of 1 (low) through
4 (high). Programs must receive an average score of 3 or greater on each applicable item to be listed
on the BPR. See the Application Guidelines for more information.
To Apply to Section III
To submit materials for Section III review, please complete the BPR
Section III Application for Review (MS Word document)
according to the instructions in the
Section III Application Guidelines (PDF). Email (1) the Application
Form; and (2) the materials to be reviewed to Philip Rodgers. If materials
are available only in hard copy, use the mailing address listed on the Application for Review.
Applicants can expect to hear from the BPR coordinators
(Phil Rodgers from AFSP or Linda Langford from SPRC) at several points during the process. For example, applicants
may be contacted prior to or during the review process for more information about the program and will receive
feedback following review. AFSP/SPRC staff members also will work with developers of approved programs to ensure
that materials are ready for dissemination and to obtain approval of the descriptive fact sheet before posting.
For more information, see How long will the review process take?
Programs, Practices, and Policies that Adhere to Standards
(listed by type of practice, then alphabetically)
Please check back frequently for new listings!
- Awareness Materials
- Educational & Training Programs
- Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), LivingWorks (PDF)
- Ask 4 Help Suicide Prevention for Youth, Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program (PDF)
- Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk: Core Competencies (AMSR), SPRC Training Institute (PDF)
- Army ACE Suicide Intervention Program, U.S. Army (PDF)
- At-Risk: Identifying and Referring Students in Mental Distress, Kognito Interactive (PDF)
- Be A Link Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training, Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program (PDF)
- Campus Connect: A Suicide Prevention Training for Gatekeepers, Syracuse University (PDF)
- Connect/Frameworks Suicide Postvention Program, NAMI New Hampshire (PDF)
- Connect/Frameworks Suicide Prevention Program, NAMI New Hampshire (PDF)
- EndingSuicide.com, Clinical Tools, Inc. (PDF)
- Healthy Education for Life (HELP), Heartline Oklahoma (PDF)
- Helping Every Living Person (HELP) Depression and Suicide Prevention Curriculum, Washington Youth Suicide Prevention Program (PDF)
- High School Gatekeeper Curriculum, Gryphon Place (PDF)
- Interactive Screening Program, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (PDF)
- LEADS for Youth: Linking Education and Awareness of Depression and Suicide, Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (PDF)
- LOOK LISTEN LINK: A Health Curriculum for Middle School, Washington Youth Suicide Prevention Program (PDF)
- Making Educators Partners in Youth Suicide Prevention, Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide (PDF)
- More Than Sad: Teen Depression, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (PDF)
- Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Gatekeeper Training for Suicide Prevention, QPR Institute (PDF)
- Response: A Comprehensive High School-based Suicide Awareness Program, ColumbiaCare (PDF)
- Sources of Strength, Mark LoMurray (PDF)
- Suicide Alertness for Everyone (safeTALK), LivingWorks (PDF)
- Protocols and Policies