Guiding Army Commanders' Decision-making Process in Managing Their Suicide Prevention Programs

This paper focuses on how mental health professionals working with Army commanders can help them make decisions based on valid population-based metrics. We first summarize the scope of the impact of suicides on the Army. We then describe the process by which decision-making can be optimized.

The currently available tools in the US Army including BH Pulse, Unit Risk Inventory, The Azimuth Check, and the Army Readiness Assessment Program have a role in assisting mental health professionals. The specific advantages of BH Pulse over the other tools are highlighted. The US Army has been committed to enhancing its suicide prevention program through comprehensive policies, procedures, and provisions of resources. Commanders are expected to interact with the suicide prevention programs in their units and maximize the systems in place to prevent suicides and other negative mental health outcomes. Commanders are expected to receive cues and signals from a variety of data sources to assist their decision-making process. We discuss the specific advantages of BH Pulse and recommend its routine use for primary prevention and utilizing this tool after incidents to make data-driven, justifiable decisions. Finally, recommendations are provided on enhancing a unit's suicide prevention program.