Definition
Postvention
Postvention refers to the efforts that are taken after a suicidal crisis and/or a death by suicide. These measures play an important role in supporting the faculty, staff, students, and the broader community, as well as preventing suicide contagion, or copycat suicides.
Postvention: Planning Ahead
Based on the prevalence of suicide, it is important that all schools are prepared in advance of suicide or any suicidal crisis with a postvention plan. Having a postvention plan in place in advance of a crisis allows for a prepared response and prevents an unorganized or panicked response to a suicidal crisis. A planned and prepared response enables schools to respond to a crisis in an effective manner.
Postvention as Prevention
Effective postvention efforts limit the spread of suicide contagion, thus acting as a method of suicide prevention. To learn more about postvention as prevention and the importance of contagion, visit the SPRC’s Postvention as Prevention page.
“What is done after a suicide crisis is just as important as what is done before one.”
Key Elements of Suicide Postvention
National Guidelines for Postvention Efforts:
- Planning ahead to anticipate needs
- Provision of immediate short-term and long-term support
- Tailoring responses to survivors
- Including survivors in planning and implementation of postvention efforts
Elements of Postvention Efforts in Schools:
- Led by the crisis intervention team
- Planned and organized media response utilizing safe messaging
- School and community response utilizing safe messaging
- Community support and healing efforts