2023 AFSPInteractive Screening Program
Connecting People to Support
AFSP’s Interactive Screening Program (ISP) has made a significant impact in addressing barriers to mental health support and is an invaluable resource for individuals seeking help for stress, depression, and other mental health concerns.
One of the core achievements of ISP is its ability to mitigate barriers such as fear and shame that often prevent individuals from reaching out for support. Utilized by mental health services at institutions of higher education, including medical and professional degree schools, hospitals and health systems, law enforcement agencies, and organizations and workplaces through their Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), ISP is a safe and confidential web-based platform through which people can assess their mental health anonymously and receive a response from a program counselor with personal feedback and recommendations for available mental health services. This personalized approach has been instrumental in facilitating early intervention.
ISP’s impact is far-reaching, effectively utilizing technology to reach broader audiences and break down barriers, making mental health support accessible across diverse environments and promoting mental health awareness. By detecting mental health concerns at an early stage, ISP has directed individuals towards timely professional help.
This year, ISP has been customized and implemented in:
12
new schools and organizations, with a potential reach of 1M people
50K
people connected to professional help
Connecting Health Care and Other Professionals to Support
ISP has been recognized as a best practice for reducing burnout and preventing suicide for the healthcare workforce by numerous national organizations. This year, the American Hospital Association released a new guide, Suicide Prevention: Evidence-Informed Interventions for the Health Care Workforce, which includes ISP as a recommended resource.
Since 2020, ISP has been adopted by several state-wide physician health and professional assistance programs. In November 2022, the Wyoming Professional Assistance Program (WPAP) — which provides confidential substance use or mental/behavioral health resources to doctors and other licensed professionals such as nurses, veterinarians, dental examiners, pharmacists, and lawyers across the state of Wyoming — launched ISP, becoming the first implementation to specifically include lawyers in outreach efforts. Concerns about losing licensure and credentials often prevent these professionals from connecting with support. Since the launch of this initiative, ISP has reached 350 professionals, providing them with a safe entry point to seek help.
Fostering Wellness Through the Workplace
AFSP and The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have joined forces, signing an alliance agreement to promote workplace mental health and suicide prevention awareness.
During the two-year agreement, OSHA and AFSP will develop information and products on workplace mental health and suicide prevention awareness in multiple languages that reflect diversity in the workforce and encourage workers’ sense of belonging. Participants will share best practices and effective approaches for promoting workplace suicide prevention awareness, such as AFSP’s Talk Saves Lives programming for workplace settings.
This agreement builds on an existing alliance between AFSP’s Northeastern Division and OSHA’s New England region that provides health care professionals, businesses, trade organizations and others with information and training resources to raise awareness of well-being and mental health issues related to occupational deaths by suicide. AFSP assisted OSHA with developing the agency’s “Suicide Prevention: 5 Things You Should Know” poster, which encourages everyone to be aware, pay attention, reach out, take action and learn more to help prevent suicide.
Work comprises a significant portion of most peoples’ lives. Through initiatives like this, AFSP strives to foster safety and wellness during the workday and beyond.