Deschutes County proclaims September Suicide Prevention Awareness Month; highlights 24/7 resources and local events

The Deschutes County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 3 adopted a proclamation designating September as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and urged residents to save local crisis resources.

The proclamation, approved unanimously, highlights 2023 data cited by county public health staff and asks the community to support suicide-prevention efforts, secure lethal means and promote access to behavioral health services.

Public-health staff Caroline Suter, mental health promotion strategist, and Bethany Kushel, Suicide Prevention Program coordinator, told the board the county lost 41 people to suicide in 2023 and reviewed local, state and national trends. They said 2023 statewide deaths were about 890 and national deaths about 49,000. The staffers described prevention activities, trainings and local resources that are available year-round.

Suter said the county’s Suicide Prevention Program and its regional partners have trained more than 2,500 community members and professionals since 2023 in evidence-based suicide-prevention and intervention skills. She noted county data show a downward trend in suicides for people 17 and under but an upward trend for ages 18–24, and that firearms account for a higher share of suicides in Deschutes County than statewide averages.

The proclamation calls attention to 24/7 crisis resources and local services. Kushel asked residents to save and share three resources: the Deschutes County Stabilization Center (63311 NE Jamieson St., Bend), the national 988 suicide and crisis lifeline, and a regional resource for secure firearm storage at safefirearmstorage.com. She also noted Youth Line, a teen-to-teen support line reachable by texting “teen” to 839863 or by calling (877) 968-8491.

Kushel outlined upcoming, free community events tied to prevention month: an evidence-based two-hour suicide prevention and intervention training beginning at 1 p.m. (the following day), the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention “Out of the Darkness” walk at Alpenglow Park on Saturday, Sept. 6 (registration 11 a.m.; walk 11:45 a.m.), and the Central Oregon Suicide Prevention Alliance’s 10th annual candlelight vigil at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 11 on the front lawn of the Ben Lippman Schools administration building in downtown Bend.

Commissioners thanked staff and outreach volunteers for their work and emphasized the role of veterans services and community partners. The board voted to adopt the proclamation; the clerk will provide a signed copy after the meeting.

The proclamation asks the public to learn warning signs, reduce stigma around help-seeking and support proven prevention measures such as secure firearm storage.