September is Suicide Prevention month for the United States. Suicide is a stigmatized and often taboo, topic for all ages. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, suicide is the 12th leading cause of death overall in the U.S, the 2nd leading cause of death among people aged 10 – 14, and the 3rd leading cause of death among people aged 15 – 24. In 2020, 45,979 Americans died by suicide. Even worse, in 2020, there were an estimated 1.20 million suicide attempts (AFSP, 2022).
Our programs are often the only behavioral health programs in the community. Some of our program staff have even been brought in to provide counseling to the communities after a suicide event in their community. It is our responsibility as the leader for behavioral health in our community to raise awareness for suicide prevention. Below are a few resources that you can use to raise awareness:
- National Alliance on Mental Illness
- 988 Lifeline
- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
- Suicide Prevention Resource Center
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Jacob Shaheen
Director of Business Development
UltraGroup Healthcare