The Department of Health Services has made public the National Guidelines on Suicide Risk Assessment and Management, 2083, in Kathmandu in connection with World Mental Health Day 2026. The guidelines aim to help identify suicide risk early and ensure that people at risk can access appropriate support, treatment and services. They set out a sequence covering risk identification, assessment of risk level, safety planning, primary support for suicide prevention and referral for further treatment when needed.
A framework for identifying and responding to risk
Early identification is a central aim of the new guidelines. The document brings together steps for recognising suicide risk and responding to it, with the broader purpose of helping at-risk individuals reach suitable assistance. Its focus is not limited to identifying a concern: it also covers how to determine the level of risk and what support or referral may follow.
The assessment stage is intended to distinguish the level of risk so that the response can be considered in relation to the person’s needs. The summary of the guidelines does not set out specific assessment tools or criteria, but it identifies risk-level determination as a key part of the process. This places assessment between initial identification and the development of a safety plan or referral for further treatment.
Safety plans and primary support
The guidelines also include preparation of safety plans, alongside primary support for suicide prevention. These elements provide a structure for responding after risk has been identified and assessed. The document’s stated aim is to ensure access to appropriate support, treatment and services for people at risk, and safety planning is one of the measures included to help organise that response.
Primary support is another part of the approach described in the guidelines. It is included as a suicide-prevention measure, while further treatment is to be reached through referral when needed. The guidelines therefore address both support at an initial stage and the possibility of connecting an individual with additional care. The information made public does not detail particular safety-plan formats, services or referral pathways.
Referral and access to further care
Referral for further treatment is included for cases where it is needed. This makes onward access to care part of the guidelines’ stated scope, alongside identifying risk and providing primary support. The overall objective is to help at-risk individuals access appropriate services, rather than leaving risk identification as a stand-alone step.
By setting out identification, risk-level assessment, safety planning, primary support and referral within one national document, the guidelines describe a connected approach to suicide risk management. The Department of Health Services’ stated purpose is to promote early identification and access to appropriate support and treatment. The release makes these areas the central components of the national guidance for 2083.
Issued in connection with World Mental Health Day
The guidelines were made public in Kathmandu by the Department of Health Services in connection with World Mental Health Day 2026. Their release links the publication to an occasion focused on mental health, while the document itself addresses suicide risk assessment and management. No additional implementation timetable or detailed operational instructions were included in the information released.
The publication sets out a national reference point for identifying suicide risk and considering the next steps for support and care. Its stated priorities are early identification and access to appropriate assistance, treatment and services. The process described in the guidelines moves from recognising risk to assessing its level, preparing a safety plan, offering primary support and making a referral for further treatment when required.
