Communities Addressing Suicide Together (CAST)

Why Focus on Addressing Suicide?

Suicide affects us all. No part of our society is immune. Suicide is the leading cause of injury death, and suicide attempts are the third leading cause of injury hospitalization in Nova Scotia. There are many complex factors associated with suicide and attempted suicide.

About CAST

CAST is working together to help communities in Nova Scotia build their capacity to address suicide, using a population health-based approach – using principles of community suicide prevention as a guide.

Community capacity building involves fostering people’s commitment and skills to build on strengths within the community to address problems, and to react to potential opportunities.

Preventing suicide is about more than prevention – it also includes intervention & postvention. This means a focus on the things that happen before, during and after a period of suicidal crisis – to help both the suicidal person and their family &/or friends, as well as the community at large.

The initiative will work to connect individuals and organizations that have a role to play in the local community to prevent suicide, and work with them to plan for, and work toward preventing suicide in their community. The initiative will provide provincial leadership and coordination that will support both new and existing local suicide prevention coalitions.

Partnership

CAST is an initiative of the Canadian Mental Health Association Nova Scotia Division and is funded by the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness.

Click here to read CAST’s Suicide Loss Guide.

For more information regarding CAST, please visit the CAST page.