American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

**Join us for a free presentation of our Talk Saves Lives program during BDOG! We'll be sharing from 6-7 p.m. with an optional AFSP 101 7-7:30 p.m. via Zoom. Must register at https://tsl-bdog2024.attendease.com.**

In 1987, a small group of individuals had a vision: establish a private source of support for suicide research and education, and essential suicide prevention efforts that could be sustained into the future.  These founding families -- each of whom had lost a someone to suicide -- joined with scientists to create what today is the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP).

Before AFSP, there was no national-scope not-for-profit organization dedicated to understanding and preventing suicide through research, education, and advocacy.  Now, we are the largest private suicide prevention organization in the United States, with chapters in all 50 states and programs and events nationwide.

AFSP is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide by creating a culture that's smart about mental health by engaging in the following core strategies:
1. Funding scientific research.
2. Educating the public about mental health and suicide prevention.
3. Advocating for public policies in mental health and suicide prevention.
4. Supporting survivors of suicide loss and those affected by suicide in our mission.

Since its founding, AFSP has achieved the following milestones:
1. Mobilized and connected tens of thousands of people who have lost a family member, loved one, or friend to suicide. We have reached thousands of individuals who are at risk for suicide, and those who love and care for them.
2. Attracted the participation of members of the scientific and clinical communities, who conduct groundbreaking research on suicide and its prevention with support from AFSP.
3. Established local chapters in all 50 states.
4. Educated hundreds of local communities about suicide and how to prevent it.
5. Created a public policy and lobbying arm by merging successfully with an existing national policy organization, thus enabling AFSP to press for legislation and policies at the federal, state and local levels that advance the goal of preventing suicide.
6. Substantially increased our funding from individual donors, including the thousands of highly motivated individuals who participate in our Out of the Darkness Walks.
7. Educated reporters and the media about how to best cover suicide.
8. Communicated with hundreds of thousands of individuals through our website, social media, brochures, speakers and efforts to generate press coverage.