Postvention Support after a Death from Suicide

When suicide affects our community, Clackamas County provides support to encourage resilience, explore resources, and reduce risk among suicide loss survivors. 

We call this work postvention, and it is provided by mental health professionals working at the county’s urgent mental health walk in clinic, Clackamas MHC.

If you lose someone to suicide, it is important to remember that you are not alone, and that millions of people are impacted by suicide loss. It is common to feel guilt, emptiness, confusion, anger or even that your own life is not worth living.

It is important to take care of yourself after a loss. Here are some ways to be sure you are coping in a healthy way:

• Lean on your community for support as you grieve the loss of a loved one – talking about your loss is an important step in healing.
• Grieve at your own pace. Everyone grieves in different ways. Do what feels right for you. Don't be hurried by expectations that it's been "long enough."
• Find a support group. You are not alone, and support groups can help enormously. See the list of suicide loss support groups below.
• Know when to seek professional help. It’s okay to ask for help. Request no cost postvention services at PH-PromotionandPrevention@clackamas.us, or if you need urgent support, call the Crisis and Support Line at 503-655-8585 or call or text 988.

What is suicide postvention?

Postvention is an organized response following a suicide that aims to reduce further suicide risk by identifying and supporting the emotional and mental health needs of the survivors.

What postvention support is available?

Immediate support

The Trauma Intervention Program (TIP) and local chaplains are called to the scene after a suicide occurs to provide emotional first aid to families and other impacted individuals. They may offer referrals or resources, such as helping to choose a funeral home. The Medical Examiner will also discuss ongoing postvention support with loss survivors.

Short- and long-term support

With information provided by the Medical Examiner or TIP, the Postvention Team at Clackamas MHC will contact identified survivors to facilitate any or all of the following:

1. Exploring resources, including natural or community supports like suicide loss bereavement groups
2. Offering no cost peer services and mental health treatment at Clackamas MHC
3. Normalizing common grief responses to minimize complicated grief and guilt reactions
4. Inquiring as to who else might need postvention contact
5. Planning a future call to check in and provide additional support, especially around anniversary or other important dates

How do I access postvention in Clackamas County and what can I expect?

If you or someone you are supporting identifies as a suicide loss survivor, please contact the County’s Suicide Prevention team at PH-PromotionandPrevention@clackamas.us. Our team will reach out by phone to offer support and connection. The goal of this outreach is to provide compassionate care for the wide range of emotions that can come with loss and to help you explore available resources, so you don’t have to face this alone. During these calls, we can also discuss whether there are others who may need support and, with your permission, reach out to them as well. If you’d like, we can plan to check in again—especially around anniversaries or other meaningful dates—to offer continued care and connection. For time sensitive needs or for immediate attention or support, please use our 24/7 Crisis and Support Line at 503-655-8585 or call or text 988.

What is the role of community partners?

In the event of a known or suspected suicide, Clackamas County asks community partners to communicate this information to PH-PromotionandPrevention@clackamas.us so that this crucial postvention support can be offered.

Postvention resources