Anyone planning Suicide Prevention Awareness Month observances within installations, units, or military communities may use this toolkit as a guide for designing campaign activities.

DSPO developed this toolkit to support and strengthen suicide prevention efforts within the Department and the broader military community.  The toolkit provides content and materials to aid in planning and executing a Suicide Prevention Awareness Month campaign tailored to each community. Planners can adapt or modify many of the items in the toolkit.

Promote “Joining Your Fight:  Connect to Protect” throughout September and beyond.  Every member of the military community plays a critical role in reaching out and preventing suicide.  Join forces against suicide.  Participate in suicide prevention activities and programs at the installation, unit, and community levels.  Share the toolkit with others, initiate conversations, and amplify suicide prevention messages.

For those communicating on social media, use the hashtags #SPM25, #JoiningYourFight, #ConnectToProtect, and #988 to join the conversation.  Tag DSPO to help expand the campaign’s reach. 

Use the following talking points to communicate key information about suicide prevention and highlight how the DOD is #JoiningYourFight to prevent suicide among Service members, their families, and DOD civilians.

• • [Insert installation, unit, etc., name] implements efforts to prevent suicide across the
    Total Force.
  • The Department continues to take unprecedented actions towards addressing this critical public health issue through the implementation of a suicide prevention campaign with five lines of effort (LOEs) and enabling tasks.  These five LOEs are:
  • Fostering supportive environments
  • Addressing stigma as a barrier to getting help
  • Improving the delivery of mental health care
  • Promoting a culture of lethal means safety
  • Revise Suicide Prevention Training
  • The DOD and [insert installation, unit, etc., name] prioritize suicide prevention throughout the year as a critical component of Total Force strength and readiness.
  • Each September, during Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, the DOD spotlights the
    importance of suicide prevention efforts and emphasizes resources and support available to
    the military community.
  • DOD’s 2025 Suicide Prevention Awareness Month theme, “Joining Your Fight:  Connect to Protect,” underscores the vital role strong connections such as family, friends, and community members play in preventing suicide.
  • The Department urges Service members, civilians, and their families to prioritize well-being by seeking support when needed, offering assistance to those who may be struggling, and fostering strong connections within the military community.  A connected community is a resilient community.
  • DOD and [insert installation, unit, etc., name] celebrate the resilience and strength of Service members, veterans, their families, and the greater military community.
  • Seeking help is a sign of strength.

Sample Installation Press Release Publicize Suicide Prevention Awareness Month events and activities by sending a press release to local news outlets.  Use this template and customize it to fit your specific activities. DOWNLOAD
Sample Public Service Announcements Promote Suicide Prevention Awareness Month by using these sample public service announcements and submitting them to local radio broadcast stations.  Download and customize these ready-to-use templates to highlight local events and activities.  DOWNLOAD
Sample Blog / Newsletter Submission: Inspire the entire military community to unite against suicide by using this blog template to raise awareness and drive meaningful engagement. DOWNLOAD
Social Media Toolkit Take advantage of special messaging and campaign materials to promote Suicide Prevention Awareness Month tools and resources online.  download

Education Materials and Guidance Documents

Leaders Suicide Prevention Safe Messaging Guide Talking about suicide in a safe and informed way can save lives.  It starts with knowing the facts and using caring and sensitive language.  Check out this guide to help you communicate responsibly and effectively about suicide DOWNLOAD
Lethal Means Safety for Military Service Members and Their Families DOD urges lethal means safety to reduce suicide risk.  Lethal means are items like medications, firearms, and sharp objects that can be used to engage in suicidal behavior.  Research shows that adding time and distance (e.g., via safe storage and making it more difficult to access) between an individual with suicide risk and lethal means is an effective way to prevent death by suicide.  This guide includes more information on lethal means safety and suicide prevention methods.  DOWNLOAD
Postvention Toolkit for a Military Suicide ​Loss This comprehensive guide equips DOD personnel with practical tools and strategies to support individuals coping with the loss of a friend or loved one to suicide.  Designed to foster healing and resilience, the guide addresses emotional challenges faced by suicide loss survivors and provides additional resources. DOWNLOAD
Campaign Fact Sheet Speak in a united voice with a clear understanding of the “Joining Your Fight:  Connect to Protect” campaign.  Use DSPO’s campaign fact sheet to get informed and help spread the message.  DOWNLOAD
Talking About Suicide Online Fact Sheet Use clear, stigma-free language to build and maintain credibility as a subject-matter leader in suicide prevention.  Take advantage of this fact sheet to understand the nuances of writing suicide prevention communications. DOWNLOAD
Brandon Act Fact Sheet The Brandon Act, signed into law in December 2021, creates an additional path for Service members to request a mental health evaluation.  While Service members continue to be able to independently request a mental health evaluation through a primary care or specialty mental health provider, the Act enables warfighters to request a confidential evaluation by contacting their commanding officer or supervisor (grade E-6 or above).  Please read the Military Health System fact sheet for more information about the Brandon Act, or visit the Health.mil DOWNLOAD

Communications Materials

Suicide Prevention Pledge Encourage others to stand with DSPO in the fight against suicide.  Share the Suicide Prevention Pledge and have your team sign the pledge to advocate for suicide prevention all year long. DOWNLOAD
Poster:  8.5" x 14" Share the “Joining Your Fight:  Connect to Protect” campaign poster to raise awareness and show support for Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.  Poster:  11" x 17" DOWNLOAD

Share the “Joining Your Fight:  Connect to Protect” campaign poster to raise awareness and show support for Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. 

All use of social media must be done in accordance with Department of Defense Instruction 5400.17.   Official DOD pages should include an appropriate disclaimer where content from non-Federal entities will be included.  As a reminder, DOD personnel are not prohibited from using personal social media accounts to forward, like, or link to official information, provided it is done in a manner that does not express or imply DOD sanction or endorsement of any personal content.  DOD personnel must include an appropriate disclaimer when reposting DoD content to personal social media, such as “Views are my own and do not represent DOD.”

Graphics Interchange Format (GIFs):

GIFS are short, animated graphics that enhance visibility and engagement across social media platforms.  Including a GIF in a post or comment draws attention and encourages participation in conversations about suicide prevention.

Suicide Prevention Awareness Month Social Media Toolkit Download Library

Suicide Prevention Awareness Month Facebook Cover Image
Dimensions:  820 x 360 pixels

DOWNLOAD FRAME

Suicide Prevention Awareness Month X Cover Image
Dimensions:  1500 x 500 pixels

DOWNLOAD FRAME

Social Media Reels/Stories for use with Facebook and Instagram

Evergreen Post Image Gallery