Suicide

Suicide occurs when a person intentionally ends their own life. People can help prevent suicide by recognizing signs and symptoms of suicide risk, learning how to appropriately intervene, and taking steps to provide support to people in need. Providing support to and engaging those who have survived a suicide attempt, as well as those who have lost someone to suicide, is increasingly recognized as an important component of suicide prevention work.

Notable Facts

• Suicide was the leading cause of injury death among all NC residents in 2012 and 2013 (NC SCHS, 2013)
• For people in North Carolina between the ages of 15 and 24, it is the second leading cause of death (NC IVPB, 2015b)
• Of the 1,914 violent deaths in NC during 2013, 1,272 were suicides (66.5 percent) (NC IVPB, 2015b)
• After firearms (60.1 percent), hanging (18.6 percent) and poisoning (17.0 percent) were the second and third leading mechanisms of suicide, respectively (NC IVPB, 2015b)

Goal

• Reduce suicide rate from 14.8 in 2013 to 8.3 per 100,000 population (NC IVPB, 2004-2013)

Prevention Strategies

1. Develop a statewide network of governmental agencies, community organizations, and survivors focused on suicide prevention
2. De-stigmatize help-seeking for suicidal behavior and mental health/substance use disorders by integrating supportive suicide prevention policies and activities into governments, military entities, healthcare systems, educational and community institutions, and families
3. Promote suicide prevention skill enhancement for early identification, timely referrals, and assessment for individuals at risk for suicide
4. Implement comprehensive suicide prevention programming and safe messaging within communities, schools, and organizations to assess and care for those at risk or survivors

Indicators of Progress

• Number of representative agencies, organizations or individuals’ involvement within the network
• Number of education or activities focused on promotion of help-seeking for suicidal behavior or ideation
• Number and diversity of communities and organizations implementing suicide prevention programming

Potential Implementing Agencies

• Colleges and universities
• Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services
• Department of Public Instruction
• Emergency departments
• Law enforcement and CIT officers
• Local health departments
• Local Management Entities/Managed Care Organizations
• Local suicide prevention coalitions/groups
• Mental Health Associations
• Mobile crisis units
• National Alliance on Mental Illness - North Carolina
• NC Chapter of American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
• NC Division of Public Health, Injury and Violence Prevention Branch
• NC School Counselor Association
• NC School Health Training Center
• Survivors
• Youth-serving organizations