Suicide Prevention – How Far Have We Come?
Each year, around 200 young people die by suicide in the UK. Because of the stigma still attached to this sensitive topic, many people hesitate to talk about suicide-related thoughts and behaviours. Instead, they may suffer in silence, sometimes with detrimental consequences. Our hope is that more people will know that there is both compassionate and efficient support available.
Gina Karlberg speaks to Jessica Aviles, Chief Clinical Officer at Positive Support Group about the development of PSG’s Suicide Prevention Model, suicide in the autistic population, and the future of suicide prevention.
PSG: Hi Jessica! You have led PSG’s work to develop a Suicide Prevention model. Could you tell us about the reasoning for developing the model?
Jessica: Suicide and suicide-related behaviours are a key priority for the UK government. More recently, the high prevalence of these issues in the autistic community has come to light, with the Suicide Prevention Strategy identifying autistic people as a high-risk group. Research shows that death by suicide is seven times more likely in the autistic community compared to the general population. Other studies indicate that suicidal thoughts are significantly more common in autistic individuals. A few years ago, we started seeing these trends reflected in our own referrals, so it became critical to ensure that our support for children and young people presenting with these issues was both evidence-based and aligned with Positive Behaviour Support principles.
PSG: Could you provide us with a summary of the model?
Jessica: Our suicide prevention model is a person-centred, collaborative approach, with a strong focus on helping individuals identify reasons for living, and develop coping strategies when life becomes overwhelming. It’s deeply aligned with the person’s values and is built on evidence-based interventions tailored to their specific needs.
Research into suicide prevention models shows that having a crisis response plan — or safety plan — that emphasises coping strategies and reasons for living can significantly reduce future suicide attempts. Our model integrates elements from the PROSPER training, originally designed for US Army veterans, along with components from our Behaviourally Intensive Community Support (BICS) Model, which is rooted in behavioural science.
PROSPER’s focus on crisis response planning is key, but our BICS approach adds another layer by identifying gaps in a person’s quality of life, activating the network, and changing the environment to actively improve their quality of life whilst decreasing these behaviours. We ask questions like, "What are the biggest barriers to living a good life?" “What skills do they not have yet to cope?” and "What are, or could be, some reasons for living?" The aim is to tip the balance, ensuring people have more reasons to live than to die and are well supported by those around them to keep them there.
PSG: Any thoughts on the future of suicide prevention?
Jessica: I’m hopeful, especially given the increased awareness over the past few years. People are now recognising the urgent need for suicide prevention in the autistic community. PSG’s model is leading the way in tackling this issue collaboratively and constructively in real time with children and young people.
I’m excited to share this model more widely. We’ve been using it internally for several years, and the results we’ve seen are incredibly promising. We’re even building our own evidence base, which is really exciting. Our next step is to publish our findings and train others, as what we’re doing is groundbreaking. I’m looking forward to sharing this model with other practitioners and contributing to practical solutions that help prevent suicide in the autistic community.
If you are interested in learning more about PSG’s suicide prevention model, please contact Jessica at jessica.aviles@positivesupportgroup.com
