County health officials highlight local suicide risk, crisis services during Mental Health Awareness Month

Clackamas County health officials on May 21 told the Board of County Commissioners that local suicide rates remain higher than state and national averages and urged residents to use county crisis resources.

Mary Rumbaugh, director of Health, Housing & Human Services, introduced the presentation on Mental Health Awareness Month and said the goal is to reduce stigma and increase early intervention and access to care. "May is mental health awareness month," Rumbaugh said, "to highlight the importance of mental well-being, educate the public, reduce stigma, and promote support for those affected by mental health conditions."

Karen Curran, behavioral health division director, cited state and national reports and county data while outlining local services. "This slide demonstrates that Oregon has the ninth highest rate of suicide in the nation, but also that Clackamas County's rate of suicide is higher than both the nation and the state averages," Curran said. She described a county mobile crisis response team that has expanded outreach and a crisis stabilization center that opened in December 2025.

Curran noted operational successes and limitations in access: "Our mobile crisis response team has increased reach and visibility; the calls for mobile crisis support have jumped 67% since '20, '23," she said. She also said the county's mobile team more often receives calls directly from families or individuals, whereas statewide dispatch more commonly comes from emergency departments or law enforcement.

Gallie Murray, the county—ounty suicide prevention coordinator, told commissioners that the county tracks postvention outreach after deaths by suicide and investigates cases that had prior contact with county services to find gaps and opportunities for prevention. "When, unfortunately, we do lose someone to suicide that has been in our system, we take a very deep dive to better understand where the opportunities may have been to close gaps," Murray said.

Officials outlined available services and access points: an urgent walk-in clinic operating Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; the crisis stabilization center available 24/7; a mobile crisis response that can meet people in the community; and a county crisis line (given during the presentation as 655-8585) alongside the national 988 line.

Asked by commissioners whether the county can measure how many fatalities occurred after prior contact with county services, Murray said the data are limited but that the county maintains workflows for people already in clinical care and conducts reviews after deaths to identify gaps. Curran emphasized prevention and stigma reduction, saying early detection and treatment substantially improve outcomes.

The presentation concluded with a request that residents and community organizations take advantage of trainings and postvention services and a note that the county is applying for a rural health transformation grant to expand support in rural areas.

What happens next: Health division staff said they will return with additional data in a future meeting, including information that the crisis stabilization center may generate as it accumulates operational months.