Suicide is the second leading cause of death in the United States in those under age 35. In 2023 alone, almost 50,000 lives were lost to suicide in the US. Suicide is a preventable problem, yet a public health approach has not been universally applied. Most people at risk for suicide are unrecognized or recognized too late, years or decades after mental health problems and addiction have already greatly disrupted their lives. Most suicidal individuals receive no treatment or inadequate treatment. Although we know what the best practices are, they are often not implemented and there is discontinuity between levels of care. A large proportion of suicide attempters die on their first attempt.  Suicide is a complex, multi-determined problem that needs multifaceted solutions and interventions. The 2029 APPA meeting would focus on the state of the science in the suicide prevention domain involving policy and population-level solutions, AI and technology, improving access to affordable and effective mental health care, strengthening the chain of care for suicidal individuals, reducing access to lethal means, and expediting access to data to be used for action to prevent suicide. 

Holly Wilcox
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health