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NAVADMIN 122/09
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/APR//
SUBJ/SUICIDE AND SUICIDE ATTEMPT REPORTING//
REF/A/DOC/OPNAVINST 1720.4/28DEC2005//
REF/B/DOC/OPNAVINST 3100.6H/3FEB2006//
REF/C/DOC/MILPERSMAN 1770-010,080,090,120-CH-8/4OCT2004//
REF/D/DOC/OPNAVINST 5215.17/13JUN2005//
NARR/REF A ESTABLISHES THE NAVY SUICIDE PREVENTION PROGRAM AND DIRECTS 
COLLECTION OF DATA ON NAVY SUICIDES.  REF B DIRECTS THE REPORTING OF 
SUICIDES AND SUICIDE ATTEMPTS IN PERSONNEL CASUALTY REPORTS AND 
PROVIDES DEFINITIONS.  REF C DIRECTS THE REPORTING OF SUICIDES, SUICIDE 
ATTEMPTS, AND SUICIDE GESTURES VIA THE OPREP-3 REPORTING SYSTEM.  REF D 
IS THE NAVY DIRECTIVES ISSUANCE SYSTEM.//

RMKS/1.  THIS NAVADMIN ANNOUNCES THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE COMPLETION OF 
THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SUICIDE EVENT REPORT (DODSER) FOR ALL 
SUICIDES AND SUICIDE ATTEMPTS BY ACTIVE COMPONENT AND RESERVE COMPONENT 
SERVICE MEMBERS.  THIS CHANGE ALLOWS DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE TO GATHER 
STANDARDIZED RESEARCH DATA TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE FACTORS RELATED TO 
SUICIDES AND ATTEMPTED SUICIDES, AND ENABLES EVIDENCE-BASED 
IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR ONGOING PREVENTION EFFORTS.

2.  ALL SUICIDES, OR UNDETERMINED DEATHS IN WHICH SUICIDE HAD NOT BEEN 
RULED OUT AS A CAUSE OF DEATH, REQUIRE COMPLETION OF THE DODSER BY THE 
DECEDENT SAILOR'S COMMAND DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE WITHIN 60 DAYS OF 
NOTIFICATION BY OPNAV N135F.  EFFECTIVE THE DATE OF THIS MESSAGE, IN 
ADDITION TO REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR DEATHS BY SUICIDE, ALL SUICIDE 
ATTEMPTS, AS DETERMINED BY COMPETENT MEDICAL AUTHORITY, SHALL BE 
REPORTED VIA DODSER WITHIN 30 DAYS OF MEDICAL EVALUATION.  SUICIDE 
ATTEMPT DODSERS SHALL BE COMPLETED BY A MILITARY MEDICAL PROVIDER AT 
THE FACILITY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SERVICE MEMBER'S PSYCHOLOGICAL 
ASSESSMENT OR (IF ASSESSMENT OCCURS AT A CIVILIAN FACILITY) BY THE 
MILITARY TREATMENT FACILITY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TRICARE REFERRAL OR BY 
THE RESERVE COMPONENT COMMAND MEDICAL REPRESENTATIVE (FOR RESERVE 
COMPONENT NOT ON ACTIVE DUTY).  THE DODSER REPORT REPLACES THE 
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY SUICIDE INCIDENT REPORT AS OUTLINED IN REF A.

3.  FOR THE PURPOSES OF CATEGORIZING SUICIDE-RELATED BEHAVIORS, THE 
FOLLOWING DEFINITIONS APPLY AND SUPERCEDE DEFINITIONS IN REFS A THROUGH 
C:
    A.  SUICIDE - SELF-INFLICTED DEATH WITH EVIDENCE (EITHER IMPLICIT 
OR EXPLICIT) OF INTENT TO DIE.
    B.  SUICIDE ATTEMPT - A SELF-INFLICTED, POTENTIALLY INJURIOUS 
BEHAVIOR WITH A NON-FATAL OUTCOME FOR WHICH THERE IS EVIDENCE (EITHER 
IMPLICIT OR EXPLICIT) OF INTENT TO DIE.
    C.  OTHER SUICIDE-RELATED BEHAVIOR - EXPRESSED SUICIDE-RELATED 
THOUGHTS, SUICIDE-RELATED COMMUNICATIONS, AND NON-FATAL SELF-INJURIOUS 
BEHAVIOR WITHOUT EVIDENCE OF INTENT TO DIE.

4.  PERSONNEL CASUALTY REPORTS, PER REF C, ARE REQUIRED FOR SUICIDES 
AND SUICIDE RELATED BEHAVIORS WHICH RESULT IN VERY SERIOUS INJURY, 
SERIOUS INJURY, OR EVACUATION.  OPREP-3 REPORTING, PER REF B, IS 
REQUIRED FOR ALL SUICIDE RELATED BEHAVIORS REGARDLESS OF OUTCOME.
THE OPREP-3 REPORT SHOULD SPECIFY ONLY "SUICIDE RELATED BEHAVIOR"
WITHOUT DISTINCTION BETWEEN ATTEMPTS AND OTHER BEHAVIORS.

5.  WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE DATE OF THIS MESSAGE, ALL NAVY MILITARY 
TREATMENT FACILITIES WILL PROVIDE A DODSER POINT OF CONTACT (FULL NAME, 
UNIT, CONTACT PHONE, EMAIL ADDRESS) TO THE OPNAV N135F POC LISTED BELOW.  
COMMANDER, NAVAL RESERVE FORCE COMMAND AND RESERVE COMPONENT COMMANDS 
WILL PROVIDE A DODSER POINT OF CONTACT, VIA THE DIRECTOR NAVY RESERVE 
PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH AT THE BUREAU OF MEDICINE AND SURGERY, WITHIN 30 
DAYS OF THE DATE OF THIS MESSAGE TO THE OPNAV N135F POINT OF CONTACT 
LISTED BELOW.

6.  PER REF D, RETAIN THIS MESSAGE WITH ORIGINAL INSTRUCTION UNTIL 
CHANGES HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED INTO REFS A AND B BY A FORMAL CHANGE 
TRANSMITTAL.

7.  POINT OF CONTACT IS LCDR BONNIE CHAVEZ, OPNAV N135F, BEHAVIORAL 
HEALTH PROGRAM MANAGER, AT (901) 874-6613/DSN 882, OR EMAIL AT 
bonnie.chavez@navy.mil.

8.  RELEASED BY VADM MARK FERGUSON, N1.//

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