Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania suicide prevention plans and initiatives
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services’ Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (DHS/OMHSAS) leads the statewide Suicide Prevention Task Force (SPTF) and other statewide suicide prevention initiatives. In 2017, Prevent Suicide PA (PSPA) was formed by combining the former PA Adult/Older Adult Suicide Prevention Coalition and the PA Youth Suicide Prevention Initiative to create a more unified vision of suicide prevention across the lifespan. Created in 2019, SPTF works across several state agencies, the Governor’s Affinity Commissions, and PSPA to oversee the statewide plan for suicide prevention. The most recent state plan covers the timespan September 2025 – August 2027, titled, A Culture of Support + Action: The Suicide Prevention Plan for Pennsylvania. Other initiatives led by OMHSAS include the Black Youth Suicide Prevention (BYSP) Workgroup to address the increasing rates of Black youth suicide and implementation of youth suicide prevention activities via federal Garrett Lee Smith Suicide Prevention Grant projects.
Pennsylvania laws
Key:
- Required by law
- Encouraged by law
- No law in place
Crisis lines and 988 implementation
- Addresses 988 infrastructure and provides for telecom user fee
- Addresses 988 infrastructure but does not include telecom user fee
- 988 law limited to creating an exploratory commission, advisory committee, or task force
K – 12 school suicide prevention
- Inclusion of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and/or other crisis line(s) on student ID cards
- Student allowances for excused mental health absences
- School personnel must report student suicide risk to a parent and/or guardian
- Suicide prevention and/or mental health training for certain school personnel, annual
- Suicide prevention and/or mental health training for certain school personnel, not annual
- Suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention policies/programming
- Student education on suicide prevention
University and college campus suicide prevention
- Inclusion of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and/or other crisis line(s) on student ID cards
- Students receive information on available mental health and/or suicide prevention services and/or resources
- Adoption of suicide prevention/awareness policy or program
Firearms
- Process for extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs)
- State voluntary do not sell list
Health professional training in suicide assessment, treatment and management
- Mental health professionals receive regular training
- Mental health professionals receive one time training
- Medical/surgical professionals receive regular training
- Medical/surgical professionals receive one time training
Conversion therapy bans
- Prohibits licensed/board certified mental health providers from engaging in conversion therapy with minors under 18 years of age
- Prohibits licensed/board certified mental health providers from engaging in conversion therapy with vulnerable adults
- Prohibits use of state funds for any purpose related to conversion therapy (e.g., conducting, making a referral for, or extending health benefits coverage for)