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Today is World Suicide Prevention Day

The theme is “Suicide Prevention in Different Cultures

The country is Canada

The place is a  large metropolitan city known as Toronto.  It is a bustling multicultural city and  one of its main attractions is its cultural diversity.  There is a large immigrant population in this city; there are socioeconomic factors and cultural influences too.

Resources that are available for suicide prevention are for all with suicidal behaviour. It is therefore one system for all.

Resources available are:

• Health care providers
• Health care professionals
• Crisis Intervention
• Assessments
• Hospitalization
• Medication
• Follow up after discharge
• Crisis centers

Take a look at one health care provider’s suicide prevention initiatives.

This is a large psychiatric inpatient facility of 600 beds and part of the health care system in Ontario. It is also one of the largest mental health facility in the country and is  actively  involved in research.

The health system is in no way a limited resources system, most resources including all hospitalizations,  treatment and medications are funded by the different levels of governments.  There is no out of pocket money to the patients.

All suicidal behaviour and suicidal ideations are taken very seriously in this system.

At this facility psychiatric patients with suicidal  behaviour are hospitalized unitil they are no longer at risk of suicide;  this may be from a few days to weeks.

During hospitalization:

• They are supervised 24 hours a day and behaviour is monitored closely.
•  Medication is reviewed and monitored and any necessary changes are made. 
•  They have access to a multi-disciplinary team

A team  includes phychiatrists, clinicians, researchers, mental health nurses, physicians and social workers. The  patient with suicidal behaviour would therefore be assigned a team of these professionals. On discharge they have financial and housing support.

More efforts may be needed to address the cultural aspects of suicide prevention.

 Based on research findings  reported earlier this year, this health system would do well to:

1. Focus their prevention efforts to the first 12 week period following  hospitalization of their patients.
2. Closer monitoring in the first 12 weeks following antidepressants starts.
3. They may also do well to address the cultural issues specific to each patient.

Programs and initiatives can be tailored to meet the needs of specific cultural migrant groups. This may require involvement or leadership from cultural leaders and  communities. Not just a one program for all.

 The facility is The Center For Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)