Yes, when will be better system of care and better monitoring of risk and intensity of depression. We have got a new model based on fuzzy logic and AI

The sad reality is that we probably cannot achieve this objective across the board in most countries but we can (1) make significant inroads at the national level and (2) very possibly reduce the suicide rates in specific high risk groups by at least 10%. If suicidal ideation were "normalized" and seen as a natural and even predictable outcome of serious, even tragic, but commonplace life events instead of grave mental illness those at-risk might more readily seek help before reaching the level of a life threatening emergency. Suicidal behavior is stigmatized because it has historically been seen as sinful and contemporaneously viewed as a product of mental illness. Reducing the prevalence of these misconceptions would not be easy but this has never been tried at the scale of a national public health education effort. Focusing suicide prevention programs on specific high risk groups such as alcohol abusers, firearms owners (in US), Veterans, Baby Boomers, elderly white males, and those with serious mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, could make a noticeable dent in national suicide rates because these populations contribute victims disproportionate to their numbers.

Saw this on reddit yesterday and forwarded by a friend: Lithium in the drinking water.

Links to NYT story and BJP manuscript.

Of course could be all kinds of confounding. A good way to sort it out would be to run a trial.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/14/opinion/sunday/should-we-all-take-a-bit-of-lithium.html?_r=0

http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/194/5/464.full.pdf+html

see several National Suicide Prevention Programs, and choose those actions which are suitable and possible in your country or region.

I've been reading about the locus of control, which can be internal or external:

Little diagram: https://awesomehumans.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/locus-of-control.jpg

A study came out about the external locus of control and suicide.

Link: http://www.questia.com/library/journal/1G1-191856974/external-locus-of-control-problem-focused-coping

This is an article preview, but if you have a database you can read more on it. The sample is a bit small, but it still gives a ton of insight.

Perhaps focusing on programs that would help people cope with feeling out of control would be of great benefit to the population. It ties into depression, which should be the target focus for many intervention programs.

Seligman's Helplessness theory of depression may be intertwined the external locus of control.

Link: http://www.emotionalcompetency.com/helpless.htm

Economics, religion, broken relationships, not feeling important or worthwhile, etc. may all contribute to this feeling of lack of control. It creates pressure that can become overwhelming.

 We could create a plan of a mass-education program on stress management, suicide prevention and identification of a person at risk, support systems, and then focus on empowering the individual, even in times of perceived lack of control, with coping strategies. For instance, this plan could be built into schools and promoted by social media. It may only reach a certain group of people. So, finding innovative ways to reach out to local communities would be helpful. With this, I would hope that rates would go down a little.

Making therapeutic treatment more accessible to all socioeconomic backgrounds would help as well.

It would be an intense task, and it probably seems too idealistic.

That being said, suicide is a heavy decision. It may take more than this, of course.

Another key is reconnecting people who feel unplugged from others due to perceived uncontrollable circumstances. As interpersonal beings, we connect when we feel safe. We also connect out of a desperate need to not be alone which can compromise our sense of validity and self-worth when being around someone who is abusive.

Link: http://www.med.upenn.edu/psychotherapy/user_documents/SuicideThreethingstokeepinmind.html

Loneliness may cause uncontrollable rumination. This may cause depressive symptoms. Internal attributions at this time may be quite negative in this state.

Link: https://ppw.kuleuven.be/home/english/research/soka/SOKA/posters-janne/posterecdp.pdf

As Jouko said, there are prevention programs. Yet, we need to up the awareness of these programs.

To lower the rates of suicide, a dynamic approach needs to be considered. One size fits all does not work, because it  may take the individual out of their context while trying to place them into a mold that is not conducive to their individual healing.

OK on a very simlistic level, if we belive we can make a difference we will be more likely to succeed. There are sadly many many deaths by suicide that potentially could have been prevented by a variety of approaches like reduced access to means, early detectin/identification of difficulties, being more able to share and talk about feelinigs, knowning where to go when strugling etc etc. Education at a full community level is vital in approaching belifes and attitutes to promote the belief that we can make a difference. Also this training is important in helath and social care settings and staff.

National startergies are I feel relay helpful and important and setting a target to aim for has benifits . Its not ever saying we can stop all suicides but we may save some lives.(although some intersting developmenst are emenring in relation to the zero suicide approach in some areas)

Individulal thoughts and disires to  die can change somtimes very rapidly  sadly if they have completed a lethal act  the chance for change is lost.

So lets belive we can do this as we are more likly to,

WE can do work with young men who are unemployed or who have justb been released from prison. We can help young people in their adol;escent years with services tailored to their needs. the adolescents will tell us what is the most appropriate approach if we ask.

I agree with Tony Salvatore above and his comments about de-stigmatising suicidal ideation and normalising this reaction to significant life events. I believe that all of us have some form of suicidal ideation at times - generally fleeting as we have other resources which come into play. For those who don't have such resources, their willingness to engage with services to discuss their current situation and identify alternatives is paramount. However, this is unlikely to happen in many cases as the stigma is too great.

Public health campaigns such as those used to raise awareness of HIV and safe sex should be utilised to promote the benefits of sharing seemingly insurmountable problems with available services.

Ease of access is key as people struggling with their mental health are unlikely to be able to navigate complex care systems. Public health campaigns making contact points common knowledge might help.

Stop treating suicidality as just a symptom of another disorder and find anti-suicidality treatments. 

Within Australia I think that we should target research and services to groups where experience has shown us the suicide rate is high. I am thinking of prisoners, indigenous people , aged who are bereaved and isolated and have physical restrictions on mobility and adolescents. As unemployment rises the young man are also a group where there are problems. there has been work in Australia with farmers and more internationally with ex soldiers.

Resources are going to be scarce so a public health approach may help. trying to look at the means that are used and seeing if anything can be done to limit access. Looking at the way the news of completed suicides are handled by the media.