Suicide Prevention in Stockholm County (SPIS)

Many suicide attempts occur in Stockholm County each year. Several agencies work together to prevent suicide attempts and to reduce harm when an attempt has occurred. These include the Police, Emergency Services, SOS Alarm, healthcare services and ambulance services.

The project was developed through collaboration between representatives from SOS Alarm, Stockholm Fire Department, the County Council, the Police Authority, ambulance services and NASP, the National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention of Mental Ill Health. The project was launched in autumn 2009 to strengthen suicide prevention in Stockholm County.

A steering group and a working group were created for the project. Over time, both groups were expanded to include representatives from the National Association for Suicide Prevention and Support for Families of Suicide Victims, SPES, the Swedish Prison and Probation Service, the Swedish Transport Administration and the Stockholm Public Transport administration.

The project did not have a shared budget. Each participating organisation therefore covered its own costs.

Several sub-project groups were formed during the project:

• SPIS alarm: improving suicide-related emergency indexing at SOS Alarm and strengthening collaboration between first responders
• Police and nurses in a police car: testing a mobile psychiatric team
• Project Family/Public: providing information and contact details to bystanders and relatives after a suicide or suicide attempt
• Statistics: improving the collection of suicide statistics in Stockholm County
• Suicide hot spots: identifying and developing interventions at locations with a higher risk of suicide
• Suicide prevention training for first responders, AOSP

The project officially ended in December 2012. Several sub-projects are still active, or have led to permanent changes and improved routines. Since then, SPIS has expanded to other regions in Sweden and now stands for Suicide Prevention in Sweden.