Suicide hotspots, interventions, and future areas of work at a Californian university

We identified suicide hotspots and effective interventions at a Californian university. We collected timeline and location data of suicides and interventions occurring 2000-2016. We interviewed administrative staff concerning mental health support and suicide prevention systems. We identified three hotspots. Suicides occurred most often on Thursday, in January, during hours of darkness, in a particular plaza and parking structure. Following interventions, suicides declined dramatically. Many interventions followed international guidelines. Low-cost solutions (e.g. ground deterrents) may have contributed to the suicide decrease. To monitor intervention effectiveness, we suggest a GIS-mediated approach.