ORGANISATION

VLESP

VLESP, (Dutch: Vlaams Expertisecentrum Suïcidepreventie), the Flemish Centre of Expertise in Suicide Prevention, is a partner organisation of the Flemish Government for suicide prevention. 

You can contact VLESP for information and advice regarding the prevention and postvention of suicide. For more information about our organisation and projects, you can find an overview of all our current and completed projects here.

Would you like to stay informed of our projects? Follow us on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn, or subscribe to our newsletter.

What is a partner organisation?

A partner organisation is an expertise centre in one or more areas of preventive healthcare and can be considered as a core within a network of expertise in the areas of disease prevention, health promotion or healthcare data management.

A partner organisation supports the local health organisations,  individual healthcare providers and other organisations with specific expertise. The objectives are to provide information and advice, to develop preventive methods and to support their implementation and use.

For more information about the partner organisations of the Flemish Government, please visit the website of the Vlaams Agentschap voor Zorg en Gezondheid (Flemish Agency for Care and Health).

Who can contact VLESP?

Anyone looking for information or advice about suicide prevention and postvention, including:

  • public services and government bodies
  • organisations and associations
  • journalists
  • health and welfare professionals
  • students

Mission

In collaboration with the Flemish government, VLESP coordinates the Flemish Suicide Prevention Action Plan. The health objective for suicide prevention is to reduce the number of suicides by 20% in 2020 (compared to the reference year 2000).  

To this end, VLESP shares its evidence-based and practice-based knowledge and experience with other professionals serving people at risk for suicide by stimulating training of gatekeepers and professionals, developing new preventive actions and networking.

VLESP aims to be a trustworthy, scientific partner for  reliable information and intends to use all available and appropriate communication to achieve this.

VLESP wants to achieve its mission within the framework of the USI prevention model, with universal, selective and indicated prevention strategies and which, as such, contains strategies for the public at large, for risk groups, as well as for people with suicidal thoughts and/or behaviour.

Objectives

  • Provide a scientific base for suicide prevention and postvention in Flanders.
  • Provide the government, relevant organisations and the public at large with information, documentation and advice regarding suicide prevention, postvention and mental health promotion.
  • Develop evidence-based methods and materials for suicide prevention, postvention and mental health promotion or support its development in a scientific and methodological manner.
  • Support the implementation of methods and materials for suicide prevention, postvention and mental health promotion, including training of professionals and gatekeepers.
  • Coordination of the Flemish Suicide Prevention Action Plan.

Looking for immediate help?

Call 1813 for the suicide helpline, or visit Zelfmoord 1813 to chat or e-mail (only in Dutch).