The Drive to Zero Suicide Award

In recent years, South Carolina hospitals have become increasingly committed to incorporating behavioral health into their patient safety and quality efforts. The issue of suicide is at the forefront of these efforts, given its devastating impact on Americans. According to the Center for Disease Control, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States and one of only three causes of death that is rising rather than falling in recent years.

There are a number of reasons people choose to take their own life, from mental health conditions and substance abuse disorders to general health problems or housing, financial and social stresses. Many of these are areas in which hospitals and health systems can and do make a difference.

That’s why in 2021, SCHA’s Zero Harm efforts were expanded to include The Drive to Zero Suicide Award.  Given in partnership with the South Carolina Department of Mental Health, this award recognizes facilities that are embracing Zero Harm through the adoption of specific Zero Suicide strategies, including specific training, policy enhancements, safety planning, screening, changes related to electronic medical records (for tracking & reporting suicide), and formal coordination with their local community mental health center. See the full Drive to Zero Suicide Resources & Metrics Guide for specific details. For more information, you can also watch our Drive to Zero Suicide webinar here.

Zero Harm is, at the end of the day, about looking for ways to eliminate harm from our patients’ lives. With The Drive to Zero Suicide initiative, we are not changing our mission so much as broadening our conception of what quality care can and should be.

If your facility is a 2022 Drive to Zero Suicide Award winner, a press release template is available for your use here. You can also use this graphic to celebrate on social media platforms.

Below is a list of 2022 Drive to Zero Suicide Award winners:

Abbeville Area Medical Center

AnMed Health Medical Center

AnMed Health Women’s and Children’s Hospital

Beaufort Memorial Hospital

Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center

Cherokee Medical Center

Columbia VA Health Care System

East Cooper Medical Center

G. Werber Bryan Psychiatric Hospital

Lexington Medical Center

Prisma Health Marshall I. Pickens Hospital

MUSC Health Chester Medical Center

MUSC Health Florence Medical Center

MUSC Health Kershaw Medical Center

MUSC Health Lancaster Medical Center

MUSC Health Marion Medical Center

Newberry County Memorial Hospital

Pelham Medical Center

Prisma Health Baptist Hospital

Prisma Health Greenville Memorial Hospital

Prisma Health Richland Hospital

Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center

Regional Medical Center

Spartanburg Medical Center Church Street Campus

Spartanburg Medical Center Mary Black Campus

Three Rivers Behavioral Health

Union Medical Center

William S. Hall Psychiatric Institute

MUSC Health University Medical Center

Williamsburg Regional Hospital