The National Association for the Advancement of Suicide Prevention (NAASP) was born out of disruption, grief, and a refusal to accept the status quo. After years of public health and suicide prevention work across local, state, and national systems, Dr. Walker Tisdale saw firsthand how fragmented efforts and underprepared workforces, left people in crisis without consistent, high-quality care.
Layered onto this was his own lived experience as a loved one of a suicide attempt survivor, suicide prevention is not just a professional purpose but a personal mission. NAASP was conceived and exists as a national, independent home for capacity development of evidence-informed suicide prevention focused on mental health professionals, suicide prevention coalitions, peers, trainer/educators, and all people with lived experiences.
Dr. Tisdale and a network of current, former colleagues, individuals with lived experience, peers, community members, and a host of champions convened for over a year to build a foundation for NAASP’s mission.
The NAASP was created to address under-developed pillars in national suicide prevention, including capacity building for the suicide prevention workforce and systems-level accountability. The NAASP is a nonprofit dedicated to building a prepared, coordinated, and suicide-capable workforce, so that every person at risk is met by highly competent systems and highly confident professionals.
NAASP advances suicide prevention in five focused ways: building a skilled workforce, deepening capacity, protecting those who do the work, centering lived experience, and developing tools that get results. Here is how we do it—and how you can plug in.
NAASP is growing its family of partners, practitioners, and community leaders. Whether you need a resource or want to collaborate—we want to hear from you.
Become part of a national network advancing suicide prevention in every community.
Joy Binion is a seasoned public health professional with over 20 years of experience in health education, public health advocacy, and program development. She is a former federal government employee, a NAMI Baltimore Metro board member and is the founder of Mental Elevation, an organization that provides mental wellness training, trauma-informed workshops, and expressive artwork as tools for healing.
With a bachelor’s degree in Health Education and a masters in Health Administration, Joy also holds certifications in crisis intervention, trauma support, support group facilitation and mental health first aid. Her work is deeply informed by her lived experience as the mother of a child with a severe mental illness, fueling her commitment to reducing stigma and creating compassionate, inclusive spaces for growth and recovery.
Shevon Jones, LCSW, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, executive leader, and entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience at the intersection of mental health, leadership, and organizational wellness. She is the Founder and CEO of Mental Wellness Collective, a multi-disciplinary group practice and consulting firm dedicated to providing culturally responsive care and strategic wellness solutions for individuals, organizations, and communities.
Shevon has worked across high acuity and systems level settings, including suicide prevention, acute psychiatric hospitals, residential treatment, and child welfare, giving her a deep understanding of both clinical care and operational leadership. Known for her ability to translate emotional intelligence into actionable strategy, she supports high functioning women, leaders, and teams in navigating burnout, alignment, and sustainable performance.
Through speaking, consulting, and program development, Shevon bridges mental wellness with leadership and impact-driven entrepreneurship.
Marti is past and current Chairperson for the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Georgia (SPCG) and also the CEO of Mental Wellness Advisors LLC based in Alpharetta, GA. She is a content expert with over forty-five years’ experience in suicide prevention and mental health. Marti is a certified instructor for Mental Health First Aid, Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM), Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR), as well as Sources of Strength. Marti has implemented numerous trainings, workshops, and presentations for thousands of professionals in her career to date.
