COLUMBUS, Ohio — Approximately five people die by suicide every day in Ohio. The state recently released a new prevention plan to reduce that number in the coming years.
The Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation contracted the Health Policy Institute of Ohio to create the newest Suicide Prevention Plan for Ohio 2024-2026. It’s the second plan of its kind in Ohio, and the first one was published in 2019.
The prevention plan shows that Ohioans living in rural and Appalachian regions are disproportionately impacted by suicide, as are men and boys, young adults, veterans, people with disabilities and LGBTQ+ youth. The plan also shows that 56% of people who died by suicide used a gun in 2021.
The plan hopes to prevent suicide in Ohio by focusing on four priorities: Community prevention strategies, prevention and early intervention, treatment and postvention and data and evaluation.
Community prevention strategies
The prevention plan aims to get local and state communities and organizations involved in suicide prevention. The state hopes to do this through a variety of methods, including:
- Strengthening public knowledge
- Reducing and addressing stigma
- Expanding and sustaining suicide prevention coalition capacities
- Increasing safe storage of lethal means
Prevention and early intervention
The state hopes to prevent suicide by intervening early through schools, jobs and community organizations. The state hopes to do this through a variety of methods, including:
- Increasing best practices for suicide prevention into systems and institutions, like workplaces and schools
- Integrating best practices for suicide prevention for high-risk populations
Quality treatment and postvention
The plan also addresses giving Ohioans access to treatment and postvention, including those who have lost loved ones to suicide. It hopes to address these areas through a variety of methods, including:
- Increasing screening and risk assessment opportunities
- Improving service transitions between health and mental healthcare providers
- Improving access to effective treatment, care, and postvention services
- Aligning healthcare payment and insurance policies so that cost isn’t a barrier to patients receiving treatment
Data and evaluation
Ohio hopes to improve its data collection and reporting of suicide to help determine what suicide prevention methods work. The plan looks to accomplish this through a variety of methods, including:
- Improving data collection and suicide reporting
- Increasing data collection related to risk and protective factors
After a person dies by suicide, their families may carry the burden of wondering how they could have prevented it.
On Thursday, 10TV’s Kevin Landers will report on the 988 Suicide Lifeline, a free and anonymous resource for Ohioans who need mental health support. He will also speak with two families who lost children to suicide and who are using their grief to help others.
If you or someone you know is in a crisis or having thoughts of suicide, call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988. The lifeline can also be reached at its former number 1-800-273-8255 or online at 988lifeline.org. You can also text HELLO to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. A comprehensive list of suicide prevention resources can be found on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) website.