September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

Although mental health and suicide prevention is important to address year-round, Suicide Prevention Awareness Month provides a dedicated time for people, organizations, and communities to join their voices and share that there is hope, help is available, and healing is possible.

This year’s theme is “Changing the narrative: Start the conversation.”

The aim of the theme is to raise awareness about the importance of changing the narrative surrounding mental health and suicide. Changing the narrative on how we perceive and talk about mental health and suicide requires systemic change. To make change happen, we will need to shift our culture from silence and stigma to encouragement, understanding and support.

MDH developed a toolkit designed for any person, organization, or community to use as a starting point to talk about mental health and suicide prevention.

Visit Suicide Prevention Awareness Month to download the toolkit.

9/8 is 988 Day

National 988 Day is held annually on September 8 to raise awareness about the 988 Lifeline through a variety of creative activities spearheaded by communities, organizations, and individuals.

This year’s theme is “988 Reasons: Your reason is reason enough.” The theme reminds us that you don’t have to be in crisis to reach out to 988. Whatever you’re facing, big or small, your reason for seeking support is reason enough. A 988 Day toolkit is available with downloadable materials, images, and information to promote community events and amplify 988 Day. Access the toolkit at 988 Day – 988 Lifeline

2027-32 Minnesota State Suicide Prevention Plan to be released this fall

This spring, MDH and the Minnesota Suicide Prevention Taskforce have been engaging communities across the state to talk about mental health and suicide prevention. We held 12 regional listening sessions with 179 participants to gather broad community perspectives, and multiple focus groups with 145 members of priority populations to hear from communities and people with shared experiences and deepen our understanding of specific experiences, strengths and challenges related to mental health.

We didn’t only asking about problems. We asked about community strengths, mental wellbeing, barriers to support, connection and belonging, collaboration, and opportunities to strengthen prevention. Despite differences in geography, culture, identity, and experience, we heard remarkably consistent messages across Minnesota. The following key themes emerged:

Communities have strengths to build upon
Connection and belonging strengthen mental wellbeing
Prevention begins before crisis
Awareness and skill building create opportunities for earlier support
Accessing support should be simpler
Prevention must reflect the communities it serves
Collaboration, learning, and data strengthen prevention

The eight themes capture the shared statewide findings; the focus groups then help us understand how those findings can look different within different communities. Relationships and trust were an important element in nearly every finding. So rather than treating relationships and trust as a separate finding, the final report recognizes them as foundational across the findings.

What we heard from communities directly informed the development of the 2027–2032 Minnesota Suicide Prevention Plan and will also inform implementation over the next five years. The new plan will be released this fall.

MDH updates

Tribal History Cultural Safety Gathering grantee and partner training

Payton Counts, MDH Tribal suicide prevention coordinator; Verna Mikkelson, MDH 988 Tribal suicide prevention coordinator; and Adam Preuss, Canvas Health Tribal liaison and suicide prevention regional coordinator, provided Tribal History and Cultural Safety (THCS), an adaptation of the Tribal State Relations Training (TSRT) from the Office of Tribal Affairs at Minnesota Department of Transportation. The primary audience for the training is state grantees and partners, non-native people who work with local tribal communities on suicide prevention efforts. The training allows opportunities to recognize our non-native allies, partners, and collaborators in a safe setting to have healthy dialogue and ask questions. Training objectives are to:

Create a trauma and resilience informed environment, where individuals participate as both learners and teachers.
Increase awareness of historical and cultural resilience and trauma in American Indian communities.
Increase capacity to safely serve tribal and urban Indigenous communities through storytelling, cultural safety, team building, and resolution to reconciliation.
Strengthen knowledge and collaboration through resource sharing.

The training was provided to suicide prevention regional coordinators, 988 Minnesota Lifeline specialists, and Tribal-serving partners last month at Prairie Island Community, with opportunities for quality conversation, hands-on learning activities, learning about important areas in prevention, and some fun and creativity. Participants leave equipped to better understand historical contexts, cultural ways and practices, and now have more familiarity of the 11 Tribal Nations sharing borders within the state of Minnesota to integrate within their suicide prevention, intervention, postvention, and wellness work with all communities across the state.

Pidamaya, miigwech, thank you, to partners at the TSRT for their mentorship and partnership in development of the one-day Tribal History and Cultural Safety gathering provided for MDH grantees and partners. Contact Paytin at Payton.Counts@state.mn.us and Verna at Verna.Mikkelson@state.mn.us for more information.

Tribal History Cultural Safety Gathering SAMHSA presentation

Tribal Suicide Prevention Coordinator Payton Counts attended the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Garrett Lee Smith grantee convening in Bethesda, MD August 5-7 to share about the Tribal History Cultural Safety Gathering. The presentation highlighted the development, layout and future plans for the training. Additional topic highlights at the convening included philanthropy as sustainability, mental health and artificial intelligence, and a panel of youth sharing their experiences in suicide prevention work. For more information, contact Payton at Payton.Counts@state.mn.us.

Suicide Prevention Awareness Month webinars

Webinar: Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM) Conversations

CALM Conversations is designed to provide friends, family, and others with information on how to recognize and respond to suicide risk with an additional focus on increasing lethal means safety. Participants learn how to talk with someone who might be having these thoughts in a collaborative, non-judgmental, and supportive manner.

Date and time: Monday, September 14, 2026, 1 – 2:30 p.m. CDT

Registration: Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM) Conversations

Webinar: The Suicide Prevention Regional Coordination System in Minnesota

Minnesota’s Suicide Prevention Regional Coordinators are community-based professionals funded to support suicide prevention across all 87 counties and Tribal Nations, offering technical assistance, training, 988 Minnesota Lifeline awareness, and regional collaboration. Come learn more about the regional coordinators and how to connect to this resource in your area!

Date and time: Friday, September 18, 2026, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., CDT

Registration: An Overview of the Minnesota Suicide Prevention Regional Coordination System

Webinar: Postvention 101: Responding to Suicide Loss

Suicide loss can have a profound impact on individuals, organizations and communities. Postvention is a critical component of suicide prevention, providing structured support to those affected while reducing the risk of future suicides. This webinar will define postvention and explain why it is an essential component of comprehensive suicide prevention. This webinar is for community leaders, schools, workplaces, first responders, and mental health professionals.

Date and time: Tuesday, September 22, 2026, 11 a.m. – noon CDT

Registration: Postvention 101: Responding to Suicide Loss

Webinar: Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM) Workshop

The Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM) Clinical Workshop prepares behavioral health professionals and others providing counseling or supportive services to incorporate lethal means safety into suicide prevention practice. Participants learn practical, client-centered strategies for discussing temporary access to firearms, medications, and other lethal means during periods of elevated suicide risk.

Date and time: Thursday, September 24, 2026, 9 a.m. – noon CDT

Registration: Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM) Workshop

Webinar: Gathering the Goodness: Updates on Tribal Suicide Prevention in Minnesota

Minnesota Department of Health Tribal suicide prevention staff and the regional Tribal suicide prevention coordinator collaborated to develop this in-person Indigenous knowledge training. The gathering focuses on suicide prevention through Indigenous social determinants of health and community collaborations. Participants will learn about the importance of community connections, meet local Tribal partners, and learn ways to provide enhanced allyship in their service and partnerships with Tribal partners. The session will provide background information on development of this gathering, a review of lessons learned, and next steps in train-the-trainer model development. Additionally, we will share other efforts in Minnesota Tribal suicide prevention efforts.

Date and time: Tuesday, September 29, 1 – 2 p.m. CDT

Registration: Gathering the Goodness: Updates on Tribal Suicide Prevention in Minnesota

Events and resources

Webinar: From Frameworks to Action: Building Stronger School Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Systems

Creating safe, supportive, and responsive school environments requires a strong understanding of both best-practice frameworks and the policies that guide implementation. The Minnesota Department of Education in collaboration with MDH will host a webinar to provide an overview of the Comprehensive School Mental Health Systems Framework and the Comprehensive Suicide Prevention Framework, highlighting how these models work together to promote student well-being, prevent mental health crises, and support positive school climates.

Participants will also explore key state statutes related to school mental health and suicide prevention, gaining insight into legal requirements, policy considerations, and opportunities for alignment with existing school and district practices. Through practical examples and discussion, attendees will learn how to apply best practices from these frameworks to strengthen their school mental health system.

Intended audience: School administrators, school mental health professionals, counselors, social workers, psychologists, educators, district leaders, and other shareholders involved in supporting student mental health and well-being.

Dates:

Monday, September 21, 2026, 10 – 11:30 a.m.: September 21 Registration
Monday, November 16, 2026, 10 – 11:30 a.m. November 16 Registration
Monday, January 25, 2027, 10 – 11:30 a.m. January 25 Registration
Monday, April 19, 2027, 10 –11:30 a.m. April 19 Registration

Workshops: Suicide Prevention for Agricultural Communities

The Minnesota Farm Suicide Prevention Campaign invites you to attend free workshops that teach anyone who lives or works in an agricultural community how to help when they see someone struggling. QPR-Question, Persuade, Refer and COMET- Changing our Mental and Emotional Trajectory workshops are scheduled for Ada, Albert Lea, Austin, Buffalo, Cloquet, Crookston, Fergus Falls, Grand Rapids, Marshall, Mora, New Ulm, Rochester, Thief River Falls, Waite Park, Willmar, and Worthington Minnesota from mid- September through late October.

Go to Suicide Prevention & Mental Wellness Workshops for dates, locations, and registration.

Questions, contact Meg Moynihan at meg.moynihan@state.mn.usor 651-201-6616

Event: 2026 2B CONTINUED annual conference

The mission of 2B CONTINUED is to increase awareness of suicide prevention, mental health and wellness through advocacy, education and outreach. Registration is now open for the 2026 Annual Conference. The learning event is appropriate for healthcare providers, nurses, social workers, mental health professionals, law enforcement, clergy or anyone interested in mental health or suicide prevention. The conference is designed to meet continuing education for professionals. Attendees will receive a certificate of attendance with up to 6.5 clock hours for continuing ed credit. 2B CONTINUED is an approved provider by the MN Board of Social work. Space is limited, register early.

Date and time: Tuesday, September 29, 8am-4:30pm

Location: Glencoe City Center, 107 11th St. E., Glencoe, MN 55336

Registration: 2026 2B CONTINUED Annual Conference Deadline to register is Friday, September 18.

Training: CALM Refresher Sessions

Are you currently trained in Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM)? Join us for a CALM Refresher to review the updated slide deck, training materials, and trainer expectations. Whether you’re an experienced CALM trainer or preparing to deliver your first training, this session is a great opportunity to build your confidence, ask questions, connect with fellow trainers, share experiences, and learn from one another.

Date and time: Thursday, November 5 from 9-11am

Registration: November 5 CALM Refresher

Date and time: Wednesday, November 18 from 2-4p

Registration: November 18 CALM Refresher

Contact

Email us at health.suicideprev.mdh@state.mn.us to contribute to the mental health and suicide prevention newsletter.

Suicide Prevention Awareness Month webinars

Webinar: Understanding the 988 Minnesota Lifeline System

This webinar will provide an in-depth overview of the 988 Minnesota Lifeline infrastructure, including understanding the routing system of the 988 network, operational components of 988 Minnesota Lifeline centers, and how the system is designed to support individuals in need of emotional and mental health support. Whether you are a local organization, stakeholder in crisis services or community member, this session will provide a foundational understanding of how 988 functions in Minnesota.

Date and time: Thursday, September 10, 2026, 10 – 11 a.m. CDT

Registration: Understanding the 988 Lifeline System in Minnesota

How can you help?
Learn about what to say…

Crisis Help Call 988
800-523-3333
Text “MN’ to 751741
Calls in East Central Minnesota are routed to local mobile or local phone help.
Click here for additional information
In a life threatening situation or medical emergency, call your doctor or 911.

Just need to talk?
Wellness in the Woods 5:pm – 9:am Daily 844-739-6369
Minnesota NAMI Warmline 4:pm – 8:pm Thur – Sun 888-334-7754
Mental Health Advocacy Minnesota Warmline 5:pm-10:pm Mon – Sat 877-404-3190