Honoring National Suicide Prevention Week Through Our Zero Harm Commitment
South Carolina hospitals are deeply committed to improving behavioral health as a vital part of patient safety and quality care. Suicide prevention stands at the heart of this work, as suicide remains one of the few leading causes of death in the U.S. that continues to rise, which is now the 10th leading cause nationwide, according to the CDC.
In 2021, SCHA expanded its Zero Harm initiative to include the Zero Harm Suicide Prevention Priority Award, in partnership with the SC Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disparities: Office of Mental Health. This award honors facilities implementing robust suicide prevention strategies—such as staff training, policy updates, safety planning, EMR enhancements for suicide tracking, and formal collaboration with local mental health centers.
Zero Harm is about more than preventing physical injury—it’s about eliminating all forms of harm. By embracing suicide prevention, South Carolina hospitals are broadening the definition of quality care and reaffirming their commitment to healing and hope.
As a reminder, this year’s Zero Harm Awards Application Portal is now open through September 26 at 5pm. More information about applying for the Zero Harm Suicide Prevention Priority Award, as well as all of our other Zero Harm Awards, is available at zeroharmsc.org.