June 5, 2026
Why Postvention Planning Matters
Public safety agencies prepare for emergencies every day. Personnel train, exercise, and follow established procedures so they can respond effectively under pressure. Yet many agencies have not developed a clear plan for what happens after a suicide affects their personnel.Â
In 2023, the CDC estimated that more than two in five U.S. adults (42.4%) personally knew someone who died by suicide. Further research points to elevated suicide risk among portions of the first responder community. For example, Arizona emergency medical technicians’ risk for suicide is 39 percent higher than that of the general public, according to a 2018 study conducted by the University of Arizona College of Medicine.
First responders may experience suicide loss through coworkers, family members, friends, community members, or incidents encountered in the line of duty. Over time, these experiences can affect individuals, teams, and the broader agency.
A suicide loss can affect coworkers, supervisors, peer support teams, and the organization as a whole. In the absence of a structured plan, leaders are often left making decisions in real time during one of the most sensitive situations an agency can face.
Experiences After a Suicide Loss
In the immediate aftermath of a suicide loss, Â agencies often experience similar challenges:
- Supervisors may be unsure how to support affected personnel
- Communication may vary across units or shifts
- Personnel may process the loss differently
- Support may depend on informal practices rather than established procedures
Understanding the Risks After Loss
Research consistently shows that people bereaved by suicide face an increased risk of depression, traumatic stress, complicated grief, and suicidal thoughts of their own. Even more concerning is that only a small number of people know how or where to actively seek out support. While individual studies vary, the research on postvention consistently highlights three themes.
What the Research Says
Reduce Risk
Postvention is not separate from prevention. Supporting people after a suicide loss reduces the risk of further suicides.
Act Early
People who receive outreach and support early are more likely to engage in services and begin their recovery process sooner.
Stay Connected
Effective postvention provides proactive, ongoing, and accessible support over time and throughout recovery.
When There’s No Postvention Plan in Place
Even strong agencies can experience uncertainty after a suicide affects personnel.
- Supervisors may approach follow-up differently
- Resource activation may vary from incident to incident
- Personnel may receive inconsistent information about available support
- Long-term follow-up may not be consistent
A postvention plan helps bring clarity to these moments, so personnel are supported in ways that are timely, coordinated, and connected to appropriate resources. It provides clarity around communication, leadership responsibilities, peer support activation, resource coordination, and follow-up.
What Having a Plan Changes
With a postvention plan in place, agencies are better able to:
- Reach out to affected personnel early
- Offer consistent support across incidents
- Establish supervisory expectations
- Connect personnel to appropriate resources
- Promote consistency across units, shifts, and incidents
- Support personnel over time rather than only immediately after the event
A postvention plan provides a reliable structure to guide the response.
A Practical Starting Point
The Be Connected Community Guide to Postvention was designed to help organizations prepare in advance, so the response does not have to be built during a time of grief and uncertainty. It provides a structured way to think through roles, communication, and coordination ahead of time.
Use the free Be Connected Community Guide to Postvention as a guide to build a postvention plan for your organization so that you’re prepared.
Looking for more postvention support? Reach out to the Arizona Coalition for Military Families at prevention@arizonacoalition.org. Our team has resources, support, and even free training.
Sources
Bar Nissim, H. S., Dill, J., Douglas, R., Johnson, O., & Folino, C. (2022). The Ruderman white paper update on mental health and suicide of first responders. Ruderman Family Foundation.
Siebrecht, A., & Straus, A. (n.d.). Postvention effectiveness. Arizona State University, College of Health Solutions.
Singichetti, B., Wang, J., Lee, R., Ballesteros, M.F., & Mack, K.A. (2025). Notes from the Field: Suicidal Thoughts and Knowing Someone Who Died by Suicide Among Adults—United States, 2023. MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 74(12), 213–215.Â
Straus, A. (n.d.). Postvention effectiveness. Arizona State University, College of Health Solutions.
