Responding to Grief, Trauma, and Distress After a Suicide: U.S. National Guidelines
The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, public-private partnership that is advancing the cause of lessening suicide’s toll in the United States, is to be commended and heartily thanked for providing a cornerstone for the work of the Survivors of Suicide Loss Task Force.
Responding to Grief, Trauma, and Distress After a Suicide: U.S. National Guidelines is the work of a dozen dedicated volunteers serving on the Task Force. Collectively, the Task Force represents a vast amount of experience in postvention: learning, teaching others, and advocating on behalf of compassionately attending to the needs of those left behind in the aftermath of suicide. Another 20 volunteers served as expert reviewers, and their thoughtful criticism and suggestions strengthened the guidelines in important ways—and proved that this truly is only a work in progress.These volunteers—and leaders—for the field of suicide postvention have spent countless hours during their careers in the company of survivors of suicide loss and others affected by suicide, and there is no doubt that their work on the guidelines truly has been in dedication to everyone who has suffered because of a suicide and to all who labor to sustain those who suffer.