Pierce County proclaims September 2025 Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month; local groups outline outreach and services

Pierce County leaders proclaimed September 2025 as Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month on Tuesday and invited local suicide-prevention organizations, health-care providers and veterans' representatives to the dais to describe local outreach and services.

Council member Denson read the proclamation into the record, which cited national Centers for Disease Control data saying suicide claimed more than 49,000 Americans in 2023 and cited a county figure that "156 people died by suicide in Pierce County in 2023" as printed in the proclamation text. The proclamation encouraged open, judgment-free conversations, cited the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline and listed a local Out of the Darkness Walk scheduled for Sept. 27, 2025.

Speakers from local organizations described ongoing work. Thelma Brown, president of the Gig Harbor Key Peninsula Suicide Prevention Coalition, said coalition funding and training have supported youth programs including Circle of Friends clubs at Gig Harbor High School and Henderson Bay High School and that the coalition plans to expand to additional schools in the Peninsula School District.

Dr. Lucas McIntyre, identified as a medical director and child and adolescent psychiatrist affiliated with MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital and the Pierce County Behavioral Health Advisory Board, described clinical observations and local data. He told the council he and his colleagues work with adolescents after suicide attempts and said, "In 2024, the Pierce County Medical Examiner recorded 124 deaths by suicide in our community," and he noted 71 of the 124 deaths used a firearm. He also described work to launch an intensive outpatient program in Lakewood planned for 2026 that will accept Medicaid patients.

Nicole Vreeland, representing the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs suicide-prevention team, emphasized veterans-specific resources and noted Pierce County is home to about 90,000 veterans. She described state and federal efforts, listed trainings the veterans office provides and noted veterans can reach the 988 lifeline and press 1 to reach the Veterans Crisis Line.

On local outreach, representatives from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) described free training and community events, including the Out of the Darkness Walk and peer support and stigma-reduction efforts.

Ending: the council issued the proclamation and invited participants to speak; council members emphasized prevention, limiting access to lethal means and better outreach, and encouraged residents to use crisis resources such as 988. No formal vote was taken beyond the proclamation reading and recognition.

(Quotes are attributed to speakers included in the speaker list.)