Nation’s Top Suicide Prevention and Veterinary Medical Organizations Partner to Release New Resource for Colleges of Veterinary Medicine

NEW YORK, NY – To help support colleges of veterinary medicine in the aftermath of a student’s death by suicide, The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), and the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) have released a new resource, “After a Suicide: A Toolkit for Colleges of Veterinary Medicine.”

“The tragedy of suicide echoes throughout an organization,” says AAVMC Chief Executive Officer Dr. Andrew T. Maccabe. “This toolkit provides a best-practices approach to effectively managing the impact of suicide on our academic communities. We’re grateful to the experts in the AFSP, AVMA, and other leaders in our profession who have helped create this important toolkit, and we hope that all of our colleges and schools will take full advantage of this excellent resource.”

Developed by experts in veterinary medicine, suicide prevention, and survivors of suicide loss in the veterinary medical community, this free toolkit includes:

  • best practices for how school administrators and staff should respond in the immediate aftermath of a suicide;
  • guidance on helping students, faculty, and staff cope in the short and long term;
  • tips on working with the media and community partners such as the coroner’s office, local police departments, funeral directors, faith leaders, and mental health professionals;
  • tools for deciding how to safely memorialize students; and
  • important information on how to identify and support members of the community who may be vulnerable and reduce the risk of suicide contagion.

“This toolkit addresses many of the questions that schools have following a suicide death, while also giving them a framework through which to effectively respond to students’ questions and needs, says AVMA President Dr. John Howe. “Collaborating with AFSP, provided the expertise and insight necessary in the development of these tools and AAVMC’s reach within the colleges and schools gives us confidence that they will make a significant difference in the future of veterinary medicine.

“Veterinary student mental health is an important component in any school’s strategy to support students’ health and professional growth. Because suicide loss survivors can develop elevated risk of suicide if not appropriately supported, postvention is a critical component of suicide prevention. The appropriate handling of the aftermath of a suicide often paves the way for effective prevention strategies to be developed and employed at the next phase after the grief period,” says Dr. Christine Moutier, AFSP chief medical officer.

This launch coincides with the American Veterinary Medical Association’s 6th Annual Veterinary Wellbeing Summit in Chicago, IL, in which AFSP and AAVMC are both taking part.

To view the toolkit: https://afsp.org/veterinarians

About the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide. AFSP creates a culture that’s smart about mental health through education and community programs, develops suicide prevention through research and advocacy, and provides support for those affected by suicide. Led by CEO Robert Gebbia and headquartered in New York, AFSP has local chapters in all 50 states with programs and events nationwide.

About the American Veterinary Medical Association
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), founded in 1863, is one of the oldest and largest veterinary medical organizations in the world, with more than 95,000 member veterinarians worldwide engaged in a wide variety of professional activities and dedicated to the art and science of veterinary medicine.

About the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges
The Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) is a nonprofit membership organization working to protect and improve the health and welfare of animals, people, and the environment around the world by advancing academic veterinary medicine. Members include 52 accredited veterinary medical colleges in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Europe, Australia, Asia, and New Zealand.

Featured

  • EPA to Provide $26M in Grants to Protect School, Child Care Drinking Water

    The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced that it will award $26 million in grant funding to test and fix lead-contaminated water at U.S. schools and childcare centers, according to local news.

  • Gretna East High School

    Gretna East High School

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. Gretna East High School has been recognized with an EDS 2025 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • University of Connecticut Upgrades Basketball Facility’s AV Systems

    The University of Connecticut recently partnered with Metinteractive to upgrade the AV systems of the Gampel Pavilion basketball facility on its campus in Mansfield, Conn., according to a news release.

  • K–12 Safety Trends Report Reveals Reliance on Training, Technology

    Wearable safety technology provider CENTEGIX recently released its 2025 School Safety Trends Report, according to a news release. The report is based on more than 265,000 incidents during the 2024–25 school year as reported through the CENTEGIX Safety Platform, used by more than 800 school districts across the U.S.

Digital Edition