SS05 - National Action Plans for Prevention of Suicidal Behaviour. Examples From Four European Countries

Danish National Action Plan for Prevention of Suicidal Behaviour
August, 30 | 08:30 - 10:00

A Danish national plan for prevention of suicidal behaviour has been developed in Danish Health Agency and it was endorsed by the ministry of health and funded with 10 million EUROS each year from 2024 and onwards. The distinction between universal, selective and indicated prevention was used for development of the plan, and the main focus was on indicated prevention. Proposed interventions in the action plan were supported by a thorough mapping of risk groups and risk situations. Register-based studies have helped us to identify risk groups. Further reductions in suicide could be achieved through targeted interventions for selected risk groups. Most importantly risk groups include people at imminent risk of suicidal behaviour such as people calling help-lines because of suicidal thoughts, people recently discharged from psychiatric hospital or sent home from psychiatric emergency, and people who were treated after suicide attempt. Analyses of suicide rates following hospital contacts with deliberate self-harm have consistently shown increased risk of suicide. Especially the first months after deliberate self-harm is associated with very high risk. Programs for bringing down this high risk inspired our recommendations. A professional telephone line will be established, and this line can formally refer callers to emergency services and collaborate with already existing services about individual callers. Psychiatric emergency outreach is planned to be disseminated all over Denmark. LifeLine in Denmark will get a higher level of permanent state funding. Moreover, there will be a focus in identifying hot spots. Approximately five percent of all suicides in Denmark are suicides in front of a train. Together with Danish Railways (DSB and Bane Danmark) we have analyzed all completed suicides for the last years. This has led to an intervention at one of the stations with most suicides, and a pilot project with use of an artificial intelligence solution to utilize the cameras placed at the stations to identify people who might be suicidal. The exact implementation of the plan will be decided in spring 2024. The plan will be monitored by a national surveillance council.

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