Suicide is a growing public health crisis in the United States. In 2018, suicide took more than 48,000 lives, with rates increasing 35% since 1999. Suicide has devastating consequences on individuals, families, schools/workplaces, and entire communities. There is no single cause of suicide. Factors increasing suicide risk occur at the individual, relationship, community, and societal levels and may include job/financial, health, criminal/legal, and relationship problems, substance use, loss of a friend or loved one to suicide, a history of suicide attempts, and mental health concerns, among others. 

In order to address this range of risk factors and prevent suicide, CDC’s comprehensive public health approach to suicide prevention is needed. This approach includes the development of a strategic action plan with the following components:

• Strong leadership to convene and connect multi-sectoral partnerships 
• Use of data to identify vulnerable populations with increased risk of suicide and to better characterize risk and protective factors in these populations 
• Inventory of existing programs; identification of gaps in prevention for the vulnerable population(s); and selection of multiple policies, programs, and practices with the best available evidence using CDC’s Preventing Suicide: A Technical Package of Policy, Programs, and Practices
• Rigorous evaluation of the overall approach and individual activities 
• Use of data for continuous quality improvement and sustained impact 
• Develop, implement, and evaluate a communication and dissemination plan 

Pending available funding, CDC’s Injury Center intends to commit approximately $7 million per year for five years to support up to ten cooperative agreement recipients. 

More information is available at Grants.gov

For questions about this announcement, please email: CSP20-2001@cdc.gov 

Important Dates