An Act respecting a Federal Framework for Suicide Prevention

SUMMARY This enactment establishes a requirement for the Government of Canada to develop a federal framework for suicide prevention in consultation with relevant non-governmental organizations, the relevant entity in each province and territory, as well as with relevant federal departments. FEDERAL FRAMEWORK FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION Framework 2. The Government of Canada must establish a federal framework for suicide prevention that (a) recognizes that suicide, in addition to being a mental health issue, is a public health issue and that, as such, it is a health and safety priority; and (b) designates the appropriate entity within the Government of Canada to assume responsibility for (i) providing guidelines to improve public awareness and knowledge about suicide, (ii) disseminating information about suicide, including information concerning its prevention, (iii) making publically available existing statistics about suicide and related risk factors, (iv) promoting collaboration and knowledge exchange across domains, sectors, regions and jurisdictions, (v) defining best practices for the prevention of suicide, and (vi) promoting the use of research and evidence-based practices for the prevention of suicide.