International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day will be recognized on November 23, 2024. This solemn day honors the individuals left behind after a suicide, and aims to encourage connection, understanding and hope through the shared experience of loss.

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), Senator Harry Reid introduced a resolution to the United States Senate in 1999 leading to the creation of International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day. This effort was initiated after Senator Reid lost his father to suicide. The AFSP website states, “Also known as Survivor Day, [it] was designated by the United States Congress as a time for those affected by suicide to come together for healing and support.” International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day is observed on the Saturday before American Thanksgiving each year, as the holiday season can be particularly challenging for suicide loss survivors.

The Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board (CSB) has initiatives to support individuals and families who are struggling with suicidal thoughts or behaviors. Its Wellness Health Promotion and Prevention (WHPP) team regularly attends community events in addition to hosting their own trainings to provide resources and education on mental health and substance use issues that may contribute to suicidal behavior.

Brian Anderson, Division Director of WHPP, supports a committed team of individuals who provide these services to the Fairfax community. “Our primary focus of service delivery is to promote QPR (Question, Persuade, and Refer), our evidence-based method of offering suicide prevention training, which teaches individuals how to detect the warning signs of suicide, how to properly intervene when someone is unwell, and where to refer someone in crisis,” Anderson shared. Anderson and his team offer QPR trainings, in addition to other vital behavioral health trainings, on a monthly basis. These trainings are helpful and hopeful for those looking for support.

The CSB also offers a Mental Health First Aid course, which trains people to identify risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems, promotes early intervention, and teaches people how to help someone who is in crisis or experiencing a mental health or substance use challenge.

If you or someone you know is a survivor of suicide loss, you and they are not alone. Reaching out for support offers hope, breaks stigma, and fosters connection.