The Need

Suicide prevention has become an absolutely essential health and wellness service to assist many people who are diagnosed with depression. Any tool that can make prevention more effective or more personal, or offers more information for those affected by depression and their loved ones, is a necessary development that can save more lives and support those that are suffering.

The Technology

Researchers at The Ohio State University have developed an app that connects individuals to a 24 hour/365 day suicide prevention crisis line that is geographically closest to the caller's physical location. The app is compatible with most modern web browsers and is also packaged for iOS and Android devices through Phonegap. The software retrieves a list of active suicide prevention call centers and displays the phone number of the closest one based on the device's geolocation. The app also provides the national Lifeline number and additional resources and information on suicide prevention. The resource information and content can be changed to meet the needs of a particular audience. Research will also be conducted on the use of an interactive tool for suicide prevention and meets nationally certified suicide prevention best practices standards.

Commercial Applications

• Suicide prevention for individuals
• Primary and secondary educational organizations
• Health care providers and settings
• Governmental and non-governmental service agencies and organizations

Benefits/Advantages

• Geolocation-based life-saving assistance
• Additional resources
• Free to use
• Multi-platform