Means Safety

Suicide is often the result of a moment of intense emotional pain or crisis. During these moments, having time, space, and access to support can make a significant difference. Means restriction is an evidence-informed approach that focuses on creating safer environments by reducing access to common means of suicide and increasing opportunities for connection and intervention.

Many people who experience thoughts of suicide do not remain in crisis forever. Creating barriers between a person and a means of suicide can provide valuable time for a crisis to pass, for support to be accessed, and for hope to return. These practical safety measures are one part of a comprehensive approach to suicide prevention.

At Roots of Hope, we work with communities and partners to identify opportunities to increase safety in everyday environments. Through awareness, education, and collaborative initiatives, we help communities understand the role they can play in reducing risk while promoting compassion, dignity, and support.

By creating safer spaces and encouraging proactive conversations about safety and support, communities can help protect lives and ensure that people have the time and opportunity to connect with hope.

Roots of Hope works with communities to identify practical ways to create safer environments and reduce access to common means of suicide during times of crisis. Through partnerships, education, and community initiatives, we support people in taking meaningful steps that can protect lives and increase opportunities for connection and support.

Bloom Program Medication Round-Up In partnership with community pharmacies, Roots of Hope supports medication safety through the Bloom Program Medication Round-Up initiative. This initiative encourages community members to safely dispose of unused or expired medications, helping reduce access to medications that may pose a risk during a time of crisis while promoting safer medication practices for everyone.

Safe Home Resources Roots of Hope shares the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s Safe Home resource to help individuals, families, and communities create safer environments. This resource provide practical information and strategies for safely storing and managing items in the home, while encouraging open conversations about safety, support, and reducing risk.

By increasing awareness, encouraging conversations, and supporting safer environments, we create more opportunities for people to access help and reconnect with hope during difficult moments.

Why We Support This Work

What We Do