SUICIDE AWARENESS PREVENTION: ADVOCACY & ACTION
The need for suicide awareness and prevention does not end with the last calendar day of September. The fact is, there is a great need for awareness, advocacy, and action to prevent suicide every day.
- Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States.
- In 2019, an estimated 1.38 million Americans attempted suicide and 47,511 Americans died by suicide.
- The rate of suicide is highest in middle-aged white men.
- Suicide is the leading cause of death among Asian Americans aged 20-24 years, responsible for about 33% of deaths in that age bracket.
- LGB youth who come from highly rejecting families are 8.4 times as likely to have attempted suicide as LGB peers who reported no or low levels of family rejection.
- US Military recorded 156 deaths by suicide among all services, including active-duty, National Guard and Reserve troops, from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, 2020. That is a 25% increase from the 125 such deaths that occurred in the last quarter of calendar year 2019.
These are only a few of the many alarming statistics surrounding suicide in America. Therefore, it is vital that we collectively continue to work toward keeping awareness and prevention of suicide at the forefront and not relegate it to just one month out of the year. We must work to break the stigma around mental health and promote resources that enable people to get the help and care that they deserve.
You may ask, “How do I go beyond awareness and into advocacy and action?” Visit our Suicide Prevention web page for valuable information including our Suicide Prevention & Awareness tool kit. Additionally, we recommend the following organizations which also provide valuable information and resources:
Cobb Collaborative members who undergo and complete LivingWorks Start virtual training are eligible for reimbursement. Once you have completed this training, simply email your certificate to Irene Barton and your program cost will be reimbursed.
We must remember that “Statistics are people with the tears wiped away.” The need for suicide awareness and prevention is great and the time for advocacy and action is NOW!