ATLAS

A Global Compendium for Suicide Prevention and Innovation

Introduction

Suicide is a global public health crisis, affecting individuals, families, and communities across every country, culture, and social group. The loss of life to suicide is profound—not only in its immediate impact but in its lasting effect on loved ones and societies at large. Despite growing awareness, suicide prevention efforts remain fragmented, and access to reliable data, crisis support, and innovative interventions varies significantly across the world.

ATLAS (Analytics for Transforming Life-Affirming Solutions) was created to bridge these gaps. This initiative serves as both a comprehensive compendium and a collaborative platform, providing a country-by-country analysis of suicide epidemiology, crisis response systems, and the most promising innovations in suicide prevention. By combining data-driven insights with real-world solutions, ATLAS enables countries to learn from one another, refine their strategies, and implement life-saving interventions.

At its core, ATLAS is a bridge—connecting the latest suicide epidemiology, crisis support networks, and pioneering prevention strategies with those who can use them to make a difference. It highlights country-specific suicide data, national strategies, and emerging innovations, ensuring that every country, regardless of its resources, has access to knowledge, collaboration, and actionable solutions.

Mission and Vision

The mission of ATLAS is simple yet ambitious:

✅ To provide a centralized, comprehensive resource on global suicide epidemiology and prevention efforts.
✅ To highlight evidence-based innovations that have made an impact in suicide reduction.
✅ To facilitate international collaboration by showcasing country-specific best practices.
✅ To offer easily accessible crisis support information for individuals seeking help, anywhere in the world.

ATLAS envisions a world where suicide prevention is proactive, inclusive, and informed by both data and humanity—where every country, regardless of resources, has the tools to make a difference.

What ATLAS Offers

This project is both a compendium and a learning hub, capturing four key components of suicide prevention and innovation:

1️⃣ Suicide Epidemiology

Each country profile includes detailed statistics on suicide rates, disaggregated by gender, age group, and vulnerable populations (e.g., LGBTQIA+ individuals, Indigenous communities, refugees, military veterans). By tracking trend patterns over time, ATLAS identifies where progress has been made and where urgent attention is needed.

2️⃣ Crisis Support and Emergency Resources

ATLAS compiles country-specific helplines, crisis services, and emergency interventions—ensuring that people in distress can find the right support when they need it most. Every country page includes a list of suicide prevention hotlines, emergency contacts, and text-based crisis services, along with details on their hours of operation and accessibility.

3️⃣ Innovative Suicide Prevention Strategies

Around the world, different nations have pioneered unique, culturally responsive approaches to suicide prevention. ATLAS showcases national strategies, public awareness campaigns, and community-led interventions that have demonstrated effectiveness. Whether it’s Finland’s data-driven suicide prevention program, Australia’s early intervention models, or Zimbabwe’s Friendship Bench initiative, ATLAS provides a knowledge-sharing space for policymakers, researchers, and mental health practitioners.

4️⃣ Digital and AI-Based Solutions

With the rise of technology in mental health care, ATLAS tracks the use of AI-driven suicide risk assessment tools, crisis chatbots, mobile mental health apps, and telehealth interventions that are making suicide prevention more accessible. By integrating the latest advancements in digital crisis response, ATLAS helps countries adopt technology-based solutions that enhance traditional mental health services.

Why ATLAS Matters

📌 Bridging the Data Divide
Reliable, up-to-date suicide data is scarce in many parts of the world. ATLAS serves as a global knowledge repository, compiling the most recent epidemiological data and identifying key gaps in suicide reporting.

📌 Highlighting What Works
Suicide prevention is not one-size-fits-all. What works in Scotland’s community-led initiatives may differ from Japan’s workplace mental health interventions. ATLAS ensures that each country can learn from the successes and challenges of others, tailoring interventions to local contexts.

📌 Promoting International Collaboration
By connecting researchers, policymakers, and frontline mental health professionals, ATLAS fosters cross-border collaboration—ensuring that suicide prevention does not happen in isolation but as part of a global effort.

📌 Providing Help, Not Just Knowledge
Beyond research and analysis, ATLAS serves as an immediate, actionable resource for those experiencing a crisis. The inclusion of direct links to crisis services in every country makes this platform not just informative but life-saving.

Who Can Benefit from ATLAS?

🔹 Government Agencies & Policymakers – Use ATLAS to develop data-driven national suicide prevention policies.
🔹 Mental Health Professionals – Learn about best practices and innovative strategies from different regions.
🔹 Researchers & Epidemiologists – Access global suicide data trends and explore country-specific studies.
🔹 Crisis Helpline Operators & NGOs – Discover models of crisis response and community-based interventions.
🔹 Technology & AI Developers – Understand how digital innovations are shaping the future of suicide prevention.
🔹 Individuals Seeking Support – Find crisis hotlines and mental health resources in any country.

ATLAS: A Collaborative Effort

ATLAS is not just a research project—it is a collaborative global initiative. Experts in suicide prevention from each country are invited to review and contribute to their country’s profile, ensuring accuracy and relevance. Contributors are acknowledged both on the ATLAS website and in the published book, recognizing their invaluable role in shaping a globally informed suicide prevention effort.

The Future of ATLAS

ATLAS is a living project, continuously updated with new data, research findings, and case studies. As global suicide prevention efforts evolve, so will this compendium—ensuring that it remains relevant, comprehensive, and actionable.

Moving forward, ATLAS aims to:

✅ Expand partnerships with leading suicide prevention organizations worldwide.
✅ Introduce real-time analytics on suicide trends and intervention impact.
✅ Develop AI-driven tools for risk prediction and early intervention.
✅ Host global forums and roundtable discussions for cross-country learning.

By transforming analytics into action, ATLAS is more than just a resource—it’s a movement toward a world where suicide is preventable, mental health support is universal, and life-affirming solutions are shared across borders.

Welcome to ATLAS. Together, we transform knowledge into hope, and hope into action.