September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, providing a platform to raise awareness on an often stigmatized topic affecting individuals worldwide – suicide. Globally, close to 800,000 people die by suicide each year. Survivors of human trafficking and gender-based violence face a higher risk of suicide than the general population due to significant risk factors such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, service providers often lack training in providing the necessary care to survivors in crisis.
In July 2023, Eleison began a partnership with Healing and Resilience after Trauma (HaRT) and Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) Uganda to initiate a Training of Trainers (ToT) program focused on suicide prevention in Uganda. Eleison trained and mentored staff in how to assess suicide risk, conduct an evidence-based suicide prevention intervention (Suicide Safety Planning), and provide persons who are suicidal with ongoing support to reduce their acute suicide risk. After Eleison’s initial training, ToT participant and HaRT team member, Agnes Grace Nabachwa, then trained individuals from anti-trafficking organizations in Uganda on how to assess suicide risk and conduct suicide intervention. The training program includes general education about suicide, how to ask individuals about their suicidal thoughts or behaviors, how to develop a safety plan, how to identify strategies to reduce the risk of suicide, and how to access emergency services, among others.
In a recent interview, Ms. Nabachwa, shared that prior to the training, she had limited knowledge regarding suicide prevention. Although she was aware that measures could be taken to prevent suicide, she was not familiar with the specific steps that could be taken, nor was she aware of the resources available to assist service providers with risk assessment and intervention with persons who are suicidal. Reflecting on the impact of her training, she shared:
“The training helped change my mindset and perception of suicide. I realized that as a social worker, comfortably talking about suicide is a protective factor in reducing suicide, and it can enhance the ability of suicidal clients to cope with suicidal ideation and reach out for help. Earlier, my fear was talking about suicide, thinking it would encourage a suicidal person to make attempts or commit suicide. This made me think that very little can be done to support and prevent suicide. I realized that talking about suicide provides an opportunity for psychoeducation. By engaging in these conversations, clients are supported in understanding how suicidal thoughts can come and go over time. It is important to support clients in organizing their thoughts that led them to consider suicide while paying attention to their triggers and finding ways to distract those negative thoughts.”
She passionately conveyed the profound impact of the training, emphasizing the critical role of evidence-based tools in supporting survivors. When asked about how the training had influenced her ability to train others, she responded:
“I have been empowered with knowledge and skills to better understand suicide and the use of evidence-based tools and approaches in safety planning. I feel more confident that the social workers I train will have effective tools to support their clients. For example, social workers can support other social workers and hold a comfortable space for a safe conversation with people who have suicidal thoughts.”
Ms. Nabachwa observed a transformation in the organizations she had trained in Uganda regarding their approach to suicide prevention. The organizations developed a deeper appreciation for suicide prevention and prioritized conducting mandatory suicide screenings for all new entrants into their shelters. This proactive approach helped them understand their clients’ risk of suicide, assess its severity, and determine the level of assistance required. She mentioned that these organizations had also appointed two suicide prevention focal persons to facilitate open discussions with both clients and staff regarding suicide risk and protective factors. When asked about the most significant impact of the training on these organizations, she said:
“The organizations’ staff have increased knowledge, skills, and confidence in screening, managing, and preventing suicide. The training increased awareness of the need to integrate programs and activities for survivors of human trafficking to prevent and address suicide, creating a deep appreciation of the tools used in the assessment of suicide risk and the tools for safety planning. The organizations revealed their gap in documenting suicide cases, hence their immediate adoption of safety planning tools and interventions. The staff of the organizations confessed that the training has made it easy for them to deliver the suicide prevention package to survivors, to teach them to stay safe by using various coping strategies, and to tailor their interventions based on evidence. For example, the suicide assessment using the C-SSRS helps the social workers in the organizations to tailor their support to the clients based on the severity of the suicide risk other than when they offered similar interventions regardless of the suicide risk.”
As Suicide Prevention Month continues, this project serves as a reminder that suicide is preventable, and together we can make a meaningful difference. If you’re interested in our capacity-building programming, contact us at info@eleisonfoundation.org or message us here.
