SPECIALISTS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE FUNCTIONING OF SUICIDE PREVENTION MODEL SERVICES IN KAUNAS CITY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47458/VS.2026.2(113)-11Keywords:
suicide prevention, professionals’ attitudes, aid providers, psychosocial services,, suicideAbstract
The aim of the study. To analyse specialists’ attitudes towards the functioning of suicide prevention model services in Kaunas city.
Material and methods. Throughout October and November 2025, a descriptive study design including an electronic survey was conducted. The questionnaire consisted of socio-demographics, experiences in providing support, and attitudes towards the functioning of Kaunas city’s suicide prevention model services. The survey included 251 professionals who operate in the field of suicide prevention.
Results. 76.9% of participants reported being able to recognise suicide risk signs, and 61.7% reported feeling confident to provide help during a suicide crisis. Between 36.3% and 50.7% of participants agreed that the prevention model operates through intersectoral cooperation, the support system is clear, timely, easily accessible, and of good quality, information about the system is easily accessible, and there is support for family members. In addition, to improve service delivery, participants suggested focusing on further developing specialists’ skills of recognising signs of suicide risk (61.8%), strengthening intersectoral cooperation (53.8%), and organising other related educational trainings (50.2%).
Conclusions. Specialists report sufficient preparedness to recognize suicide risk and provide crisis support. While the suicide prevention model is generally evaluated positively, inconsistencies in service delivery and system-level coordination persist. The findings underscore the need for continued strengthening of professional competencies and more structured inter-institutional cooperation to ensure effective model implementation.
