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.
Peer-to-Peer School-based Suicide Prevention Grants
Applications are now OPEN for the 2025-2026 school year!
Deadline for application completion: Friday, January 16, 2026
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 January 16th 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 Kelsey Van Hoorn at kelsey@mhawisconsin.org
Wisconsin's Suicide Prevention Plan: Strategies for Action and Hope (2025)
Access the full report here >>>
From 2014 to 2023, suicide rates in Wisconsin have increased by about 15%. In response, Prevent Suicide Wisconsin (PSW) has released a new document, Wisconsin’s Suicide Prevention Plan: Strategies for Action and Hope, to provide resources and guidance to support prevention efforts using a public health approach. The plan includes the most up-to-date statewide data on suicide and self-harm, along with best practices and recommended action steps. It was written to include something for anyone who picks it up, including healthcare providers, community leaders, educators, advocates, and anyone invested in promoting mental health.
Wisconsin data shows that suicide rates are higher in rural counties compared to urban areas, and males accounted for almost 80% of all Wisconsin suicides in 2023. Suicide rates are disproportionately higher for American Indian residents compared to all other racial groups and the average overall state rate. While suicide continues to impact people across the lifespan, the rates were highest among those aged 45-54 years old. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth ages 10-19. Girls ages 15-17 had the highest emergency department visits and hospitalizations for self-harm. The profound loss behind each suicide cannot be adequately quantified or described in words. Still, this data can help the field strategize programming and resources to reach at-risk groups and prevent suicide.
The strategies for prevention put forth by the plan are organized into three tiers:
- Tier 1: Community-Based Prevention: Promoting mental health, suicide prevention, and postvention in the places where we live, work, study, worship, and age, outside of formal care services.
- Tier 2: Prevention and Intervention Across the Continuum of Care: Improve suicide care and support throughout the range of services in health and behavioral health systems.
- Tier 3: Data Collection and Program Evaluation: Build capacity in local and state partners to improve data on suicide in our state. Promote program evaluation to build collective understanding of the most impactful interventions to increase protective factors, reduce risk factors, and prevent suicide.
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