Table 5.
Summary of guidelinesa (n = 12).
| TitleAuthorCountry, Year | Target users | Target population | Objectives described | Development methods described | Target users included in development | Evidence-base described | Theory of postvention described | Key recommendations included | Sample material included | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| After a campus suicide: A postvention guide for student-led responsesActive MindsUSA, 2017 | Students leading a campus-wide response to suicide | Schools after a student suicide | Yes | No | Unknown | Yes (Literature) | No | Yes | Yes (Social media postings) | https://www.activeminds.org/programs/after-a-campus-suicide-postvention-guide/ |
| After a suicide: A Toolkit for schools, 2nd Ed.American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Suicide Prevention Resource Center, Education Development CenterUSA, 2018 | School administrators, staff, parents, communities | Schools after a suicide in the school community | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (Consensus procedure and Literature; Ref to NSSP) | No | No | Yes (Various letters, meeting agendas) | http://www.sprc.org/sites/default/files/resource-program/AfteraSuicideToolkitfor Schools.pdf |
| After rural suicide: A guide for coordinated community postvention responseCalifornia Mental Health Services AuthorityUSA, 2016 | Local public health, law enforcement, suicide prevention coalitions | Local community after a suicide | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (Consensus procedure and Literature; Ref to NSSP) | No | Yes | Yes (Various checklist, letters, flyers) | https://www.cibhs.org/sites/main/files/file-attachments/after_rural_suicide_ guide_2016_rev.docx |
| A suicide prevention toolkit: After a student suicideCentre for Suicide PreventionCanada, 2019 (update from 2016) | Schools | Schools after a student suicide | Yes | No | Unknown | Yes (Literature) | No | No | No (link to AFSP 2018 guidelines, above) | https://www.suicideinfo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/After_a_student_suicide_web.pdf |
| Guidelines for schools responding to a death by suicideNational Center for School Crisis and Bereavement, USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social WorkUSA, 2017 | School administrators, teachers, and crisis team members | Schools after a suicide in the school community | Yes | No | Unknown | No | No | No | Yes (Various letters via link) | https://www.schoolcrisiscenter.org/resources/guide-responding-suicide/ |
| Guidelines for suicide postvention in fire service (Standard Operating Procedure)New York City Fire DepartmentUSA, 2016 | Firefighters peer support | Firefighters affected by suicide | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (Expert and Focus Groups consensus study) | No | No | No | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/07481187.2015.1077357?needAccess=true |
| Postvention: A Guide for response to suicide on college campusesHigher Education Mental Health AllianceUSA, 2014 | Colleges, universities | Campuses after a death by suicide | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (Literature, Expert review) | No | No | Yes (One sample letter) | https://adaa.org/sites/default/files/postvention_guide-suicide-college.pdf |
| Postvention Australia guidelines: A resource for organizations and individuals providing services to people bereaved by suicide Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention, and Postvention AustraliaAustralia, 2017 | Organizations and individuals providing services | People bereaved by suicide | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (Literature, Focus Groups, and expert review) | Yes | No | No | https://www.griffith.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0038/359696/Postvention_WEB.pdf |
| Responding to grief, trauma, and distress after a suicide: U.S. national guidelinesSurvivors of Suicide Loss Task Force, National Action Alliance for Suicide PreventionUSA, 2015 | All professionals and peers wishing to help those impacted by suicide loss | People bereaved by suicide | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (literature, Taskforce, Expert Group review, Ref to NSSP) | Yes | No | No | https://theactionalliance.org/sites/default/files/inline-files/NationalGuidelines.pdf |
| Responding to suicide in secondary schools: A Delphi Studyheadspace School SupportAustralia, 2015 | School communities | Schools after a student suicide | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (Literature and Delphi consensus study) | No | No | No | https://headspace.org.au/assets/School-Support/hSS-Delphi-Study-web.pdf |
| Suicide postvention guidelines: A framework to assist staff in supporting their school communities in responding to suspected, attempted or suicide deathDepartment for Education and Child Development, Catholic Education SA Association of Independent Schools of SA, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services SAAustralia, 2016 | Schools | Suspected, attempted, and suicide death | Yes | No | Unknown | No | No | Yes | Yes (Various letters and scripts) | https://www.education.sa.gov.au/sites/g/files/net691/f/suicide-postvention-guidelines.pdf |
| Support after a suicide: A guide to providing local services: A practice resourcePublic Health England, and National Suicide Prevention AllianceUK, 2016 | Commissioners, local health and wellbeing boards, others | People bereaved by suicide | Yes | No | Yes | Yes (Literature, Advisory group, Ref to national suicide prevention strategy) | Yes | No | No | https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/590838/support_after_a_suicide.pdf |
a
Based on the criteria of the “Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II” (AGREE Next Steps Consortium, 2017).