Ending Stigma, Saving Lives

The Suicide Prevention and Exposure Lab (SPEL) seeks to create a world where understanding and support can help save lives. SPEL leads research that explores the complex realities of suicide from every angle.  
 
Through outreach and education, we work to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and empower individuals and communities to take meaningful steps toward prevention. 

CODE RED

CODE RED is an evidence-based safety planning program at SPEL that helps individuals build practical, personalized strategies to navigate their worst day before it occurs.

CODE RED helps individuals build their own step-by-step safety plan, which is practical, easy to follow, and tailored to what helps them feel grounded, safe, and supported. These plans are oriented around four essential skills: COntact, DElay, RElax, and Distract.

Code RED Logo

“Our work is driven by a deep commitment to understanding the complexities of suicide and its impact. We strive to create a world where open conversations and informed actions can help prevent suicide and support those affected.”

Dr. Julie Cerel Director, Suicide Prevention & Exposure Lab

University of Kentucky: Connecting and Networking for Suicide Prevention (UK:CAN)

University of Kentucky: Connecting and Networking for Suicide Prevention (UK:CAN) creates a new network at the University of Kentucky to decrease suicide attempts and deaths, increase help-seeking and decrease stigma around mental health on campus. This innovative project brings together expertise from across campus and is led by a team with substantial national experience in suicide prevention. It leverages support from across campus including Student Academic Life, College of Nursing, College of Agriculture, College of Communication and UK Public Relations.

UK:CAN is led by Dr. Julie Cerel, Professor in the College of Social Work with co-leadership from Dr. Corrine Williams, Associate Vice President for Student Wellbeing.

Kentucky Youth Suicide Prevention- KY SAFETY

This 5 year grant from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) awarded to the Kentucky Department for Mental Health provides communities of practice in schools and communities for youth suicide prevention. It includes Dr. Cerel’s CODE RED, a universal safety planning training as well as enhanced evaluation of postvention efforts in schools and communities. CODE RED evaluation includes trainers, adults and youth who receive the training.

Law Enforcement Suicide Prevention- SAFLEO

Working with the American Association of Suicidology & Institute for Intergovernmental Research, this project helps provide training for law enforcement suicide prevention. SAFLEO provides training and resources for law enforcement and their families. SPEL’s contributions have been to evaluate the trainings, serve as subject matter experts and create deliverable content to show how suicide exposure impacts officers and the need for postvention services.

Suicide Exposure in Post 9/11 Veterans

Led by the Minneapolis VA, this VA HSRD-funded project surveys younger veterans nationally to determine the extent and impact of suicide exposure. Dr. Cerel serves as a team member.

Identifying the longitudinal outcomes of suicide loss in a population-based cohort

Funded by the NIH, this R01 utilizes the Danish national registry data to document the mental and physical health outcomes and comorbidities among the population of individuals exposed to suicide loss over a 30-year period. Denmark has a universal healthcare system, with government supported nationwide electronic health and social registries, and the ability to link records across registries and individuals using unique personal/family identifiers and address information.

A pilot study of Psychological First Aid for suicide loss survivors in Medical Examiner/Coroners Offices

This American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) funded early career mentored research grant examines the impact of training loss survivors in Psychological first aid.

  • Cerel, J, Fruhbauerova, M. Edwards, A., Murphy, L, Salt, E., Whipple, B. Clark, P. & Ackerman, J. (2024) Universal Safety Planning for Suicide Prevention: CODE RED Initial Feasibility and Acceptability. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 21 (12), 1704  https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21121704
  • Feigelman, W., Cerel, J., Gutin, N., McIntosh, J., Gorman, B. S., Bottomley, J. S. & Edwards, A. (5/2024). Examining the associations between substance misuse and suicide bereavement. Omega. DOI: 10.1177/00302228241254133
  • Pitman, A, McDonald, K., Logeswaran, Y., Lewis, G., Cerel, J., Lewis, G., & Erlangsen, A. (3/2024). The role of depression and use of alcohol and other drugs after partner suicide in the association between suicide bereavement and suicide: cohort study in the Danish population. Psychological Medicine 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1017/ S0033291724000448.
  • Brown, H. L., Selbe, S. M., Rosellini, A. J., Gradus, J. L., Maple, M. & Cerel, J. (in press 2/5/2024, published 2/20) The Impact of Relationship Type and Closeness on Mental Health following Suicide Loss. Suicide and Life Threatening Behavior. http://doi.org/10.1111/sltb.13063
  • Xiao, Y., Bi, K., Yip, P. S., Cerel, J, T.T., Peng. Y., Pathak, J, & Mann. J. J., MD (3/2024). Decoding Suicide Decedent Profiles and Signs of Suicidal Intent using Latent Class Analysis. JAMA Psychiatry doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2024.0171
  • Jamieson, S., Maple, M. & Cerel, J. (1/2024) Impacts of exposure to suicide of a military colleague from the lived experience of veterans: informing postvention responses from a military cultural perspective. Death Studies https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2023.2261408.
  • Athey, A., Kilmer, B. & Cerel, J. (published 2/21/2024). An Overlooked Emergency: More than 4 in 10 U.S. Adults Are Negatively Affected by Drug Overdose Deaths. American Journal of Public Health 114, 276_279, https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307550
  • Sayer NA, Nelson DB, Gradus JL, Sripada RK, Murdoch M, Teo AR, Orazem R, Cerel J. The Effects of Suicide Exposure on Mental Health Outcomes among Post-9/11 Veterans: Protocol for an Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods Study (2023) JMIR Res Protoc 2023;0:e0 URL: https://www.researchprotocols.org/2023/0/e0/http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/51324
  • Pitman, A, Lewis, G., McDonald, K., Cerel, J. & Erlangsen, A. (2023) Investigating risk of self-harm and suicide on anniversaries after bereavement by suicide and other causes: a Danish population-based self-controlled case series study. Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences
  • Aldrich, R. A. & Cerel, J. (2023). Willingness to Intervene against Suicide Enhanced Questionnaire, Health Communication. DOI: 1080/10410236.2023.2227435
  • Moore, M., Palmer, J.,Cerel, J. & Ruocco, K. (2023). Growth and Hope After Loss: How TAPS facilitates Posttraumatic Growth in those grieving military deaths. Frontiers in Psychology
  • Willis-Powell, R., Fox, A., Cerel, J. (2022). Disclosure of Youth Suicidality: Views from Lived Experience. In: Ackerman, J.P., Horowitz, L.M. (eds) Youth Suicide Prevention and Intervention. SpringerBriefs in Psychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-06127-1_18
  • Jamieson, S., Cerel, J & Maple, M. (2022) Social and cultural dimensions of the impact of exposure to suicide or traumatic death of a military colleague: a retrospective veteran study. Social Science and Medicine- Qualitative Research in Health https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmqr.2022.100160
  • Pitman, A, McDonald, K., Lewis, G., Cerel, J. & Erlangsen, A. (8/2022) Proportion of suicides in Denmark attributable to bereavement by the suicide of a first-degree relative or partner: nested case-control study. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica. 2022 Aug 23. doi: 10.1111/acps.13493.
  • Maple, M., Cerel, J., Sanford, R., Shand, F., Batterham, P. & Bhullard, N. (6/2/2022). A Brief Screener of Suicide Death Exposure-related Distress for use in therapeutic settings. Suicide and Life Threatening Behavior.  https://doi.org/10.1111/sltb.12894
  • Salt, E., Wiggins, A., Hall, C, Ellis, M., Cerel, J., Adkins, B., Cooper, G. & Rayens, M. (2022) Increased Rates of Suicide Ideation and Attempts in Rural Dwellers Following the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic. Journal of Rural Health. http://doi.org/10.1111/jrh.12686
  • Kheibari, A., Szechy, K, Cerel, J, & Fruhbauerova, M (2022) Exploring the Psychometric Properties of the Stigma of Suicide Scale Using a Sample of Adults Bereaved by Suicide and Suicide Attempt Survivors. OMEGA – Journal of Death & Dying. https://doi.org/10.1177/00302228221097828
  • Pardue-Bourgeois, S., Cerel, J., & Tucker, R. P. (2022). From and for folx: Relationships between forms of social support and suicidal thinking in transgender and gender diverse adults. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender. https://doi.org/10.1037/sgd0000564
  • Snow, A., Cerel, J. & Frey, L. (2022) A Safe Bet? Transgender and Gender Diverse Experiences with Inclusive Therapists. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. DOI: 1037/ort0000599
  • Cerel, J., Jones, B., Brown, M .M, Weistenhorn, D., & Patel, K. (2018) Suicide Exposure in Law Enforcement Officers. Suicide and Life Threatening Behavior. DOI: 1111/sltb.12516
  • Cerel, J., Brown, M., Maple, M., Singleton, M., van de Venne, J, Moore, M. & Flaherty, C (2018). How many people are exposed to suicide? Not six. Suicide and Life Threatening Behavior https://doi.org/10.1111/sltb.12450
  • Feigelman, W., Cerel, J, McIntosh, J, Brent, D & Gutin, N. (2018) Suicide Exposures and Bereavement Among American Adults: Evidence from the 2016 General Social Survey Journal of Affective Disorders.1-6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2017.09.056
  • *Frey, L. M. & Cerel, J. (2015). Risk for Suicide and the Role of Family: A Narrative Review. Journal of Family Issues. 36 (6) 716-736DOI: 10.1177/0192513X13515885
  • Cerel, J. McIntosh, J., Neimeyer, R., Maple, M & Marshall, D. (2014). The Continuum of Survivorship: Definitional Issues in the Aftermath of Suicide. Suicide and Life Threatening Behavior. doi: 10.1111/sltb.12093
  • *Aldrich, R. S., Harrington, N. G. & Cerel, J. (2014). The willingness to intervene against suicide questionnaire. Death Studies.38 (2). 100-108. DOI:10.1080/07481187.2012.738763
  • Cerel, J., Jordan, J.R., & Duberstein, P.R. (2008). The impact of suicide on the family. Crisis: The Journal of Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention, 29(1), 38-44. PMID: 18389644

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