Prevent Suicide Wisconsin (PSW) is the designated statewide coalition for suicide prevention, convened by MHA-WI through a grant from the WI Dept. of Health Services, and tasked with overseeing the implementation of the state suicide prevention plan (see below). The PSW Steering Committee is made up of individuals representing local suicide prevention coalitions, universities and colleges, peer run respites, organizations representing groups with disproportionate risk of suicide (e.g., Tribal communities, veteran organizations) and other mental health and suicide prevention advocacy groups.
See preventsuicidewi.org for more resources and information related to suicide, training, lived experience, population specific resources, and more.
2025 WI Zero Suicide Training
We are no longer accepting applications for the 2025 training.
Mental Health America of Wisconsin, with support through a grant from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Division of Care and Treatment Services, is inviting applications from eligible entities to participate in the 13th Annual WI Zero Suicide Training (WZST) and subsequent Community of Practice.
Note: The WZST is a training for people in health or behavioral health care organizations who will be working on ZS quality improvement as a team, not a skills training for individuals. See Suicide Care Trainings for Individuals for information on those types of opportunities!
Training Dates: July 30th & 31st 9-5pmCT each day
Live Online via Zoom
The training, including presentation of content and interactive implementation planning, will be hosted virtually on Zoom. If there is anything that prohibits you from accessing Zoom as the platform for this training, please contact Cara Hansen at cara@mhawisconsin.org.
Team Cost
$250
Continuing Education Hours (CEHs)
MHA will be applying for CEHs through the National Association of Social Workers-Wisconsin Chapter. These would qualify for meeting the requirement of 30 hours of continuing education per two-year credential period for licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, Professional Counselors, and Social Workers. We will notify participants when these are awarded.
Timeline and Submission Process
| Call for Applications Released |
Monday, March 3, 2025 |
| Applicant Q&A |
Thursday, March 20, 2025, 10:00-11:00am |
| Applications DUE |
Friday, April 25, 2025, 11:59 pm |
| Applicants Notified of Status |
Friday, May 9, 2025 |
| Team Introduction Calls (a scheduling form will be sent to sign up for a time slot) |
Week of May 27, 2025 or June 2, 205 |
| Organizational Self-Study Due |
Monday, June 30, 2025 |
| Introducing WI Zero Suicide |
Wednesday July 16, 2025, 10-12pm |
| WI Zero Suicide Training Dates |
Wednesday July 30 AND Thursday July 31, 2025, 9-5pm |
Wisconsin Zero Suicide Training Applicant Webinar
Applicant Q&A Webinar: If you were unable to attend the Zero Suicide Application Q&A webinar you can find the recording HERE
If you have any questions please contact: Kelsey Van Hoorn, Zero Suicide Program Coordinator: kelsey@mhawisconsin.org
Peer-to-Peer School-based Suicide Prevention Grants
We are no longer accepting grant applications for the 2024-25 school year
Deadline for application completion was Friday, October 11, 2024
Mental Health America of Wisconsin is pleased to announce a funding opportunity for elementary, middle, and high schools in Wisconsin. This opportunity is in addition to the Peer-to-Peer Suicide Prevention Grant through the Department of Public Instruction. With a focus on training Wisconsin students to recognize the signs of suicide shown by fellow students, peer-to-peer programs use messages of hope, health, and strength to develop peer leaders and resources for students who may be struggling.
Recipients of a grant under this program may use the grant funds to support an existing evidence-based peer-to-peer suicide prevention program (Hope Squad, Sources of Strength, NAMI Raise Your Voice, REDGEN, or Youth Aware of Mental Health (YAM)) or implement a new peer-to-peer suicide prevention program. For schools wanting to implement new programs please provide evidence that is linked to the program's effectiveness.
The amount of each individual grant award may not exceed $5,000. Allowable costs include training staff and/or students, QPR training, travel, curriculum, materials and supplies (limit $1000 which includes apparel), and presenter or speaker fees (limit $1250). Costs can not be used towards food, assemblies, and please refer to this document for other unallowable costs. .
Grant applications will be reviewed after the deadline on October 11th and schools will receive a notice of their award status within 30 days of the application deadline.
To Apply:
If you have any further questions, please email Cara Hansen at cara@mhawisconsin.org.
Suicide in Wisconsin: Impact & Response (2020)
Wisconsin Suicide Related Data and the Wisconsin Suicide Prevention Plan
Suicide in Wisconsin: Impact and Response seeks to help inform efforts through a two-part report. By first presenting in-depth data, stakeholders will gain insight about the people and populations in Wisconsin who experience self-harm injuries, as well as suicidal thoughts, behaviors, deaths, and associated risk factors. The report then presents the Wisconsin Suicide Prevention Plan, a comprehensive approach to reduce suicide attempts and deaths. Suicide in Wisconsin: Impact and Response updates two previous reports, The Burden of Suicide (2014) and the Wisconsin Suicide Prevention Strategy (2015).
The Wisconsin Suicide Prevention Plan was produced in collaboration with the Prevent Suicide Wisconsin Steering Committee. Prevent Suicide Wisconsin is a statewide public-private partnership that was formed over a decade ago when stakeholders identified the need to create an umbrella organization for suicide prevention efforts in Wisconsin.
Access the Wisconsin Suicide Prevention Plan here >
MHA of Wisconsin's Suicide Prevention Policy Priorities
Support School-Based Suicide Prevention
- Provide funding for school-based suicide prevention.
See Youth Suicide Prevention: Student Programs here>>
Require Suicide Prevention Training
- 27 states, plus DC, require training for school personnel.
- 9 states require training for health professionals.
See Wisconsin Laws Addressing Youth Suicide Prevention and Intervention here>>
See State Laws: Training for Health Professionals in Suicide Assessment, Treatment, and Management here>>
Reduce Access to Lethal Means
- Funds to purchase/disseminate gun locks or other safe storage equipment
- Lethal violence protection order (14 states)
- Background checks and waiting periods for handgun purchases
Increase the Mental Health Workforce
- Increase loan repayment programs.
- Support integration of behavioral health providers into primary care.
See National Projections of Supply and Demand for Selected Behavioral Health Practitioners here>>
Support Local Coalitions
- Provide grants for coalitions/local health departments to increase public awareness and implement local programs.
- Provide funds to support administration of grant programs, if authorized, or to provide additional technical assistance to counties, coalitions, or provider agencies.
See a directory of Wisconsin's county suicide prevention coalitions here>>
Prioritize Populations at Risk
See the Suicide Prevention Resource Center's page on Populations here>>
Impact of Trauma
Impact of Suicide on Youth & Families: The Ones We Miss curriculum
Suicide Prevention Resource Center
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Mental Health Information - Suicide >>, Loss and Grief >>
Survivors Helping Survivors Support groups for those who have lost a loved one to suicide
Alternatives to Suicide support groups for those with experience of suicidal thoughts, feelings or actions
Wisconsin Youth Risk Behavior Survey