ANN ARBOR—Empowering everyday community members to lead suicide prevention efforts—by promoting wellness, strengthening relationships and implementing tailored actions—can significantly reduce the risk among youth.

Instead of relying solely on crisis-based mental health services, a new University of Michigan study offers a promising solution by demonstrating how community-driven approaches, skill-building and local collaboration have tackled Alaska Native youth’s suicide rates—strategies that could be replicated in other regions of the globe, particularly in places with limited access to mental health services. 

“The main question is, ‘How can we grow communities of practice that can innovate in real time to address emergent issues?’ That’s such an important idea,” said Lisa Wexler, U-M professor of social work and research professor at the Institute for Social Research. 

“If we’re serious about equipping people to reduce the risk of suicide in everyday settings, we need pastors, coaches, teachers and families—we need everyone who’s already part of young people’s lives to be involved. I don’t know of any other intervention that not only focuses on prevention, but also intentionally builds a community of practice—one where people can learn from each other as challenges arise.”

Conducted across five remote communities in Alaska, the study, published in BMC Public Health, involved nearly 400 participants and revealed that both workers, like teachers and counselors, as well as family members, friends and local cultural leaders, play distinct and crucial roles in protecting and supporting young people.

“In close-knit Alaska Native communities, we can learn about the power of connectedness,” Wexler said. “And can readily see the innovations that come from communities of practice who work together to reduce suicide risk and promote mental wellness in dynamic and locally tailored ways.”

The findings challenge the conventional focus on clinical intervention by demonstrating that suicide prevention can begin long before someone is in crisis. It identifies three key factors that influence whether people take action to prevent suicide: confidence in one’s ability to promote wellness, confidence in one’s ability to prevent suicide, and participation in a “community of practice”—a network of people learning and working together. 

These factors can predict whether someone engaged in prevention behaviors such as collaborating on community initiatives, offering personal support to someone in distress, restricting access to lethal means, or helping others after a suicide death.

Surveys show that 20%-30% of high school students think about suicide at any given time—a developmentally common experience often met with one-size-fits-all crisis responses in schools. These rigid protocols can discourage help-seeking, while most mental health professionals receive little or no suicide prevention training.

“This study expands the focus and approach to suicide prevention, which is needed,” Wexler said. “Young people, marginalized groups and rural communities face rising suicide risk, yet many lack access to mental health services—the typical response to crisis. Too often, care is only available after risk has escalated, leaving few chances for early prevention.”

Researchers found distinct patterns in how different roles contribute to prevention. Prior research shows that each person in the youth network plays a unique yet complementary part.

“If given the opportunity to learn alongside one another and deepen relationships, people will work together in innovative and locally responsive ways to prevent suicide,” Wexler said. “So, instead of waiting for someone to show signs of suicide risk, there are many things people can do to increase safety, reduce risk and promote mental wellness—particularly for young people around the globe.”

Community-led effort aims to prevent suicide

The research team was surprised by how quickly and creatively communities responded when given the chance to learn together and build stronger connections. Rather than relying solely on professionals, people from all sectors of village life stepped forward to take ownership of prevention efforts that reflect their values and experiences.

This model, Promoting Community Conversations About Research to End suicide—known as PC CARES—uses accessible research summaries and guided discussions to help local communities explore practical ways to support mental wellness and reduce suicide risk.

Although developed in northwestern Alaska, PC CARES offers a flexible model that communities can adapt. Its five Learning Circles use accessible research and guided discussion to spark locally driven, evidence-informed strategies for suicide prevention, making it a practical approach for diverse settings.

“Our approach recently got on the Suicide Prevention Best Practices Registry,” Wexler said. “We are expanding to other subjects, such as substance use, and other communities, like U-M campuses, urban and Michigan-based Indigenous communities. We are also tracking our approach’s impact on young people—how they are experiencing adult outreach and support in remote Alaska through a recent NIMH award.”

Study: Developing self-efficacy and ‘communities of practice’ between community and institutional partners to prevent suicide and increase mental health in under-resourced communities: expanding the research constructs for upstream prevention

Contact: Fernanda Pires, [email protected]