Programs that provide immediate assistance for individuals who are having suicidal feelings with the objective of helping them explore alternatives to self-harm or self-destruction. Included are local, accredited hotlines, countywide and statewide programs, programs offered by local nonprofit organizations and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a network of more than 180 local crisis centers. Suicide prevention workers establish and maintain contact with the individual while identifying and clarifying the focal problem, evaluate the suicidal potential, assess the individual's strengths and resources, and mobilize available resources including paramedic or police intervention and emergency psychiatric care as needed. These programs can also help individuals who are worried about the potentially suicidal behavior of another with the objective of helping them identify warning signs and provide options for seeking further help. Hotline staff are generally available via telephone, email, chat and/or text. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has designated 988 as the three digit dialing code that will replace or supplement the existing toll free number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The deadline for implementation by all voice service providers is set for July 16, 2022.

Programs that improve the public's understanding of mental health and mental illness and help people make choices which promote personal mental health, take advantage of opportunities for early detection, develop an awareness of available treatment options and support their ability to deal with mental health problems when they arise. General mental health information/education programs provide information about a wide variety of mental health related diagnoses rather than specializing in a particular area; and may develop and disseminate materials whose objective is to dispel misconceptions about the nature of mental illness, marshal support for people who have a psychiatric disability or behavioral issue and help to remove the stigma that is often associated with mental illness.

Individuals who are generally between the ages of 18 and 25 depending on the ages that specific programs use for qualification.

Individuals who are enrolled in classes or courses of study in colleges or universities that are part of the formal education system.