Suicide is preventable.

We’re closing out National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month this September, but the truth is that suicide prevention needs to be a year-round focus. People who die by suicide show warning signs beforehand, and if the people in their lives know what to look for, they can intervene. And those efforts are not futile, because suicide is not inevitable. The right interventions can save lives.

This month and every month, let’s remain committed to suicide prevention.

How friends and family can help prevent suicide

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, the first step to suicide prevention is to ask if you have reason to suspect someone is thinking about suicide. Remember, study after study has shown that asking about suicide does not increase suicidal behavior or thoughts. To the contrary, asking is the best way to start the conversation and build a connection with someone who is at risk. And that’s critical, because studies have also shown that listening, acknowledging, and talking about suicide can actually help to reduce suicide risk.

Another important step is to limit access to lethal means. Limiting access to firearms is especially important because guns are much deadlier than other commonly used suicide methods. Other lethal means, including knives, medications, and loopables (any item that can be used to make a noose), likewise need to be safely stored to reduce access, especially when the suicidal person is alone.

It’s critical to refer the at-risk person to mental health resources. The 988 Lifeline is a valuable first point of contact for people who are in immediate crisis. Depending on the situation, a person at risk of suicide may need inpatient or outpatient mental health treatment or other medical services.

Finally, loved ones need to follow up and stay connected with the at-risk person. The immediate crisis may have passed, but the underlying issues that led them to become suicidal may still be there, and a lack of connection is one such risk factor. Staying in ongoing, supportive contact after a mental health crisis can dramatically reduce suicide risk.

The role of medical professionals in suicide prevention

As the American Association of Suicidology puts it, suicide is everyone’s business. We all have a role to play in preventing suicide and ensuring that those at risk of dying by suicide get the support and resources they need. However, medical professionals have a particularly significant role to play, both because they work with at-risk people every day, and because they have specialized training and responsibility for their patients’ health.

Unfortunately, it’s far too common for physicians and other medical professionals to fail to take important, medically indicated steps to reduce the risk of patient suicide. When that happens, lives can be lost unnecessarily. Our job is to hold them accountable.

If you have lost a loved one to preventable suicide, contact us

Too many families are left to rebuild their shattered lives after losing a loved one to suicide completion. Our mission is to fight for accountability and justice for those families. We would be honored to listen to your story and explain your legal rights and options.

Contact us online today for a free, confidential consultation with the Law Offices of Skip Simpson. We’re based in Texas and serve families nationwide.

Suicide prevention needs to be a top safety priority in the workplace

Approximately 70% of suicides in the United States are among working-age adults (age 18-64), the majority of whom are currently employed. That means, whether or not a particular suicide is related to work or occurs at work, workplaces have an important role to play in suicide prevention.

As Occupational Health & Safety Magazine reported, this subject has recently gained traction in the construction industry, focusing on the role of safety professionals in preventing worker suicide. Suicide risk in the workplace is a real problem, and managers, coworkers, and safety professionals must do their part to minimize that risk.

Safety professionals need to look beyond physical safety to address mental health as well

When most people think of workplace safety, they likely think of physical safety measures: hard hats, harnesses, warning signs, fire prevention, and security guards, for example. But safety leaders in the workplace need to look beyond those physical measures to take stock of the mental health of their colleagues.

As the Occupational Health & Safety article pointed out, many behaviors that indicate suicide risk may manifest at work, such as isolating from colleagues, expressing feelings of hopelessness, or taking extreme risks. Workplace leaders need to know the warning signs of suicide and respond appropriately. They also need to create a warm, supportive environment where colleagues are comfortable talking about their feelings and asking for help.

These steps are particularly important in occupations with elevated suicide rates, such as mining, construction, entertainment, and agriculture. Furthermore, if a colleague has known suicide risk factors, such as chronic pain or a history of depression or self-harm, safety leaders should be particularly attentive to those risks.

Employers can provide important resources to help employees manage suicide risk

While employers need to maintain appropriate boundaries when dealing with employees’ mental health, there is still a great deal they can do to help reduce the risk of suicide, such as:

• Training managers and safety professionals in suicide prevention techniques, such as the QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) method. (Full disclosure. Skip Simpson is honored to be on the faculty of the QPR Institute.)
• Providing resources for employees, such as Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), that can assist with mental health issues.
• Providing flexible schedules and time off for employees to attend counseling or receive medical treatment.
• Cultivating a supportive, open environment for employees.
• Promptly addressing any workplace issues that can increase suicide risk, including workplace harassment and abuse.

Ultimately, however, employers are not their employees’ healthcare providers. Employers can provide resources and flexibility, and they can encourage at-risk employees to get help, but it’s up to medical professionals to actually treat the causes of suicide risk and keep their patients safe. When they fail in that responsibility, lives can be lost.

We stand up for families who have lost loved ones to suicide completion

Suicide is preventable, and when medical professionals fail to protect their patients, The Law Offices of Skip Simpson works to hold them accountable. If you have lost a loved one to suicide completion, we would be honored to listen to your story and explain your options. Our consultation is free and confidential, and there is no obligation to hire us if we determine there is a viable case. Give us a call or contact us online today. We’re based in Texas but represent families nationwide.

New research links digital addiction to suicidal thoughts and behavior

Increasing use of social media, video games, and mobile phones has touched so many aspects of life, and suicide risk is no exception.

A study released last month explored the link between child and adolescent use of electronic devices and mental health problems, and specifically focused on addictive use. The findings were troubling: addictive use is very common, and it’s also associated with elevated risk of suicidal ideation and behavior.

Breaking down the study results

The recent study followed over 4,000 adolescents from 2016 to 2022, analyzing each participant’s social media, mobile phone, and video game use over a four-year period. In addition to looking at total screen time, the study examined addictive use, defined as “when individuals experience difficulty stopping despite attempts to do so, as well as symptoms of withdrawal, tolerance, and relapse.”

The findings were striking. High percentages of adolescents exhibited concerning behaviors, including:

• 48% reported losing track of how much they are using their phones
• 25% said they use social media to forget about their problems
• 25% admit to spending considerable time thinking about social media
• 17% admitted trying unsuccessfully to reduce their social media use
• 11% reported negative effects on schoolwork

Most frighteningly, adolescents with high or increasing addictive use saw an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and suicidal behaviors. This was true across all screen types (mobile phones, video games, and social media) and appeared to have a significantly greater impact than baseline screen time.

The link between digital media and suicide risk

We’ve previously discussed the link between cyberbullying and suicide risk among adolescents. Indeed, cyberbullying may be more dangerous than offline bullying, in part because it’s so pervasive. While offline bullying usually ends at the end of the school day, cyberbullying follows teens everywhere they go, because their phones are always on.

The same could be said for other negative effects of social media: addictive phone use is pervasive, and its effects on mental health aren’t easily shaken. This is one of the rising forces behind, for example, cellphone bans in schools, to give students a lengthy break from phone use, as The Lion reported.

“The statistics really do hold that if we do the (full day), bell to bell, that’s going to have the biggest turnaround,” said one lawmaker.

“This is not just an academic bill. This is a mental health bill,” said another.

Beyond curbing phone use itself, though, we need to be aware of the effects of technology on children and teens’ mental health and, in particular, their risk of dying by suicide.

Medical professionals who work with teens need to be aware of phone use as a suicide risk factor and adjust their screening methods and interventions accordingly. Suicide risk is complex, but it can be measured, assessed, and mitigated in order to save lives.

If you have lost a loved one to suicide completion, we can help

Suicide is preventable, and too many families are left to pick up the pieces in the wake of a preventable suicide. If you have lost a child or another loved one to suicide, we would be honored to listen to your story and explain your rights and options, free of charge.

Contact the Law Offices of Skip Simpson today. We serve families throughout the United States.

A recently introduced bill in the Delaware state legislature would enable family members of individuals who died by suicide to receive support services.

The bill, known as the Elizabeth Barnes Act, represents an important acknowledgment of the impact that suicide can have on those left behind. It also speaks to the critical importance of suicide prevention and accountability for victims and their families.

What the Delaware bill would do

According to Delaware Online, the proposed legislation would establish a fund to provide support services for costs related to the loss of a loved one to suicide, including funeral expenses, mental health counseling, temporary housing, and lost wages. The program would utilize the state’s existing infrastructure to provide similar support to victims of crime—a system that currently does not aid families of suicide victims since suicide is not a crime.

The bill is named in honor of Elizabeth Barnes, a Delaware mother who died by suicide. It was introduced alongside a suicide prevention bill, known as DJ’s Act, which would establish a state Office of Suicide Prevention to work with suicide prevention organizations, oversee funding for suicide prevention, and promote best practices for suicide prevention.

As longtime believers that the law has an important role to play in suicide prevention, we applaud the efforts of lawmakers in Delaware and across the country to devote state resources to both suicide prevention and assistance for the families of suicide victims. Suicide is preventable, and with sustained, dedicated effort, we can reverse the alarming recent increase in suicide rates and continue to work toward zero suicides.

The importance of community support in suicide prevention

Ultimately, everyone has a role to play in suicide prevention, from government agencies to healthcare providers to friends and family members of individuals at risk of suicide. At the individual level, it’s important to:

1. Pay attention to the warning signs of suicide risk (see next section for a list of warning signs).

2. Ask the at-risk person directly whether they are considering suicide. (The idea that asking about suicidal thoughts increases their risk of dying by suicide is a myth.)

3. Refer the person to appropriate mental health services, whether that’s calling the 988 Lifeline or seeking inpatient mental health treatment.

Medical professionals who treat patients at risk of suicide have an especially significant responsibility to those patients. Fulfilling that duty means asking appropriate screening questions, following up on any sign of suicidal ideation, referring the patient to appropriate specialty services, and clearly communicating that the patient is a suicide risk so that they don’t fall through the cracks. When medical professionals and healthcare facilities fail to properly assess, supervise, and treat at-risk patients, lives can be lost unnecessarily. That’s why accountability is so important.

Warning signs of suicide risk

Recognizing the warning signs of suicide can help save a life. While not every individual will show the same signs, there are common behaviors, expressions, and changes that may indicate someone is in crisis. These include:

– Talking about wanting to die or expressing feelings of hopelessness
– Withdrawing from friends, family, or social activities
– Sudden mood swings or intense emotional distress
– Giving away personal belongings or tying up loose ends
– Increased use of alcohol or drugs
– Sleeping too much or too little
– Talking about feeling trapped or being a burden to others
– Extreme mood swings, such as going from very sad to calm or even cheerful
– Changes in eating habits or personal hygiene
– Loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities

These signs don’t guarantee someone is considering suicide, but they warrant serious attention. If you notice any of these behaviors in someone you care about, don’t hesitate to speak up and take action. Early intervention can make all the difference.

If you’ve lost a loved one to suicide completion, we can help

Suicide is preventable, and a key part of suicide prevention is seeking accountability and justice for victims and their families. If you lost a loved one to a preventable suicide, we would be honored to listen to your story and explain your legal rights and options.

Give us a call or contact us online today for a free consultation with the Law Offices of Skip Simpson. We’re based in Texas and serve families throughout the United States.

Suicide rates are near the highest rates in history, and suicide is the 11^th-leading cause of death in the United States, according to the Associated Press.

And since nearly everyone who dies by suicide is seen by a health care provider at some point in the year prior to their death, the healthcare system must play a key role in reversing this troubling trend.

That’s why we’re encouraged by a recent study that looked at the “Zero Suicide Model” as applied in healthcare systems. The results are clear: the “Zero Suicide” approach has the potential to save lives by protecting patients who are at their most vulnerable.

What is the Zero Suicide Model?

The “Zero Suicide Model” was first developed in 2001 at Henry Ford Health, a healthcare system based in Detroit. The model takes a two-step approach to treating patients who are considering suicide: first, reduce their access to lethal means, and second, follow up with treatment.

The first step is critical. Suicide may be an impulsive decision, so whether lethal means are immediately at hand can be a matter of life or death. And limiting access to firearms is particularly important because firearms are much more lethal than other commonly used suicide methods, such as pills or cutting.

The second step, follow-up treatment, is just as vital. Effective treatment along the entire continuum of care can help people at risk of suicide build their resilience, cultivate their support networks, and relieve symptoms of underlying mental health conditions that increase the risk of dying by suicide.

What the study said about the Zero Suicide Model

The first test of the Zero Suicide Model was at the healthcare system that created it, Henry Ford. As the Associated Press reported, it made a difference there: in 2009, for instance, the health system saw no suicides among its patients.

Researchers then studied the effects of the Zero Suicide Model at another health system, Kaiser Permanente, which adopted the program in four locations from 2012 through 2019. The results at Kaiser were just as encouraging: three of the locations saw reductions in suicides and suicide attempts, up to 25%. The fourth location maintained its already-low rate of suicide deaths and attempts.

The study results represent a large slice of the U.S. population: the health care systems studied see a combined 10 million patients per year, according to the study. Still, further research is needed to examine how the Zero Suicide Model can best be implemented in other health settings.

Healthcare providers have a responsibility to protect their patients from death by suicide

The Zero Suicide Model represents an encouraging step forward for suicide prevention in the healthcare system. It also highlights both the power and the responsibility healthcare providers have to protect their patients from death by suicide. If doctors and other medical professionals take proactive steps to screen patients for suicide risk and implement appropriate interventions to mitigate that risk, lives will be saved. When they don’t meet that responsibility, we hold them accountable.

The Law Offices of Skip Simpson is proud to represent families who have lost loved ones to suicide completion throughout the United States. If you have lost a loved one to a suicide caused by negligence, give us a call or contact us online for a free consultation.

As we’ve discussed before, the 988 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline plays a critical role in the continuum of care needed to prevent deaths by suicide. 988 provides immediate help to people at immediate risk of dying by suicide and refers them to appropriate resources for longer-term care and recovery. However, the Lifeline only works if someone is there to pick up the phone every time someone calls.

We feel a deep concern that, in our own state of Texas, there hasn’t been sufficient allocation of resources to maintain a fully staffed Lifeline. As the Texas Tribune recently reported, a $7 million funding deficit has led to thousands of abandoned calls—and abandoning Lifeline calls can literally be a matter of life and death.

Limited funding in Texas leaves thousands of calls transferred out of state

Because of the lack of resources allocated to the Texas call centers, over 15% of Lifeline calls are routed to out-of-state call centers that serve as backups. While the backup system is necessary, overusing it is a huge problem: the more a caller is transferred in and out of state, the more likely that caller will hang up instead of reaching a crisis counselor. That’s why the national 988 administrator has set a benchmark for 90% of calls to be answered in-state; Texas falls well short of that standard.

While call centers do manage to answer over 80% of calls, the rates of response to text messages are much lower. At the Houston crisis center, for example, staff were only able to respond to 335 of the over 7,000 texts received last September, according to the Texas Tribune article. The remainder were handled by backup centers.

According to the 988 administrators, running Texas’s five call centers would cost $21 million; however, the state has only allocated $14 million, leaving staff stretched quite thin. And the funding situation is on track to get much worse: right now, the call centers are paid for by federal funding that will run out in 2026, and the state government has not taken action to fill in the gap, either by allowing Medicaid to pay for 988 services or by setting up a trust fund.

Policymakers and healthcare providers need to prioritize suicide prevention

It’s absolutely imperative that more resources be allocated to the 988 Lifeline, both in Texas and other struggling states across the country. Contrary to popular opinion, suicidal urges don’t last forever; they will pass in time, and intervention in the moment when someone is most vulnerable can make all the difference. A fully staffed, fully funded 988 Lifeline has a critical role to play in suicide prevention. So, too, do investments in mental health and suicide prevention throughout the healthcare system.

We are committed to preventing deaths by suicide by fighting for accountability in the healthcare system and justice for families of victims.

If you have lost a loved one to suicide completion, we would be honored to listen to your story and explain your options. Contact the Law Offices of Skip Simpson for a free, confidential consultation. We’re based in Texas and represent families nationwide.

Understanding the Hidden Connection

It’s well-known that veterans have a higher risk of suicide than the general population, but the causes are complex and often unclear. However, research has indicated that one significant contributing factor is traumatic brain injuries (TBI).

That’s the focus of a recently introduced bill in Congress, as Military.com reported. The proposed legislation called the Precision Brain Health Research Act, would direct the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the National Academies of Science to conduct a 10-year study on the ways brain injuries affect veterans’ mental health, including suicide risk and explore ways to improve diagnosis and care.

How service members experience traumatic brain injuries

A traumatic brain injury is an injury to the brain caused by an external force. Most TBIs are closed-head injuries, meaning they are caused by a blunt impact or violent movement of the head. A concussion is a type of mild closed-head injury, but “mild” is a relative term when you’re talking about TBI—no brain injury is truly minor.

The other type of TBI is a penetrating head injury, in which an object, such as a bullet or piece of shrapnel, pierces the skull and directly damages the brain.

Members of the military can suffer TBIs in combat, often due to explosions and other head impacts during combat. However, according to Military.com, approximately 80% of brain injuries happen outside deployments. They can occur in vehicle accidents, during training exercises, or even just from being close to the discharge of a big gun or artillery piece.

Moreover, service members can experience the cumulative impact of many concussions over time, leading to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)—a phenomenon that is perhaps best known in professional athletes but affects many veterans as well. Studies have shown that veterans are at an elevated risk of CTE, and it often co-occurs with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Traumatic brain injuries in veterans are one part of a larger story

The last point above bears repeating: often, neurological injuries such as brain injuries co-occur with psychological issues such as PTSD. And those conditions are in turn layered on top of the various stresses that military life puts on service members, such as frequent relocations and long deployments away from family and friends, not to mention the often-difficult transition from military to civilian life.

In other words, there are many interconnected causes of suicide risk in veterans, and each of those causes merits close study and attention. Ultimately, getting our nation’s veteran suicide crisis under control will require an all-hands-on-deck approach, including efforts by friends and family members, advocacy organizations, and the healthcare system. In particular, medical professionals who treat patients at risk of suicide should take veteran status into account when assessing suicide risk and recommending treatment and interventions.

Our law firm proudly stands up for grieving families

Deaths by suicide have many causes, and the better understood those causes are, the more effectively we’ll be able to save lives. However, understanding is only one piece: medical professionals need to take appropriate steps to prevent their patients from dying by suicide. When they fail to follow standards of care, we hold them accountable.

If you’ve lost a loved one to suicide completion, we will listen to your story and explain your options. Our law firm is based in Texas but serves families throughout the United States. Contact the Law Offices of Skip Simpson for a free, confidential consultation.

Study shows shame may increase suicidality among trauma survivors

It’s well known that people who have experienced trauma and developed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are at increased risk of suicide. As with all suicide risk factors, however, PTSD is one among many, and other factors can either increase or decrease the risk of dying by suicide. A recent study examined one of those additional factors: the role of shame in suicide risk among people with PTSD.

What is PTSD?

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health condition caused by being exposed to an extremely stressful or terrifying event, according to the Mayo Clinic. PTSD is perhaps best known as a condition that affects combat veterans, where it has historically been known by names such as “shell shock” and “war nerves.” However, PTSD can occur in people who have experienced any traumatic event, including but not limited to:

• Child abuse
• Sexual assault
• Violence
• Accidents, such as car crashes
• Natural disasters

Symptoms of PTSD include intrusive memories—that is, flashbacks, reliving the traumatic event, or having nightmares about the event—as well as negative changes in thinking and mood, avoidance behavior, and physical and emotional reactions such as being easily startled or always on guard. People with PTSD are also at elevated risk of suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts.

The study results

In the study, published in January 2025, researchers examined nearly 1,500 college students who had experienced at least one traumatic event. The study participants filled out questionnaires that assessed their PTSD symptoms, suicidal ideation, and degree of shame, including feelings of inferiority, helplessness, or vulnerability.

The results were striking. Students who experienced shame tended to have more severe PTSD symptoms, and they also tended to have higher suicidal ideation and suicide risk.

According to the authors, the study findings “highlight the need to continue suicide prevention efforts on university campuses, particularly among students experiencing PTSD symptomatology.” While this particular study focused on college students, it seems probable that people with PTSD in the general population are likewise more vulnerable to dying by suicide if they experience shame.

Shame, isolation, and suicidality

In large part, the link between shame and suicidality seems to be driven by isolation. People with PTSD may struggle to form and maintain healthy relationships and spend a great deal of time alone, ruminating on their thoughts. Numerous studies have shown that social isolation has a significant causal relationship with death by suicide and, conversely, that social support has a protective effect.

The study findings highlight the need for social connection, especially among people who have experienced trauma. Friends and relatives of people at risk of suicide need to prioritize staying connected to help reduce risk. They also need to know the warning signs and take appropriate prevention measures when necessary.

If you’ve lost a loved one to suicide completion, we can help

The study findings also highlight the special responsibility that falls on medical professionals who treat patients who have experienced trauma. Suicide screenings and similar steps need to be conducted, and doctors need to make appropriate referrals for mental health services. When those steps aren’t taken, lives can be lost. We fight for accountability.

If you have lost a loved one to suicide, we would be honored to listen to your story and explain your options. Our law firm is based in Texas but serves families throughout the United States. Contact the Law Offices of Skip Simpson for a free, confidential consultation.

A new federal law will require the U.S. Department of Defense to include information on the occupational specialties of service members who die by suicide in its annual report on military suicide deaths, according to Air & Space Forces Magazine.

This provision is part of the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which Congress passed last month. According to advocates, this data should help military officials understand stressors that affect specific jobs. “Anecdotally, we know [suicide rates are] really bad in certain career fields,” said retired Air Force Master Sgt. Chris McGhee. “I consider this to be a starting point to investigate what is going on within those career fields that is driving those suicide rates.”

It’s well-known among suicide prevention advocates that job-related factors can have a significant impact on suicide risk, in both military and civilian careers. However, more data is always needed to understand why certain jobs are associated with higher risk of suicide and how those risks can be mitigated.

How job-related factors can affect the risk of dying by suicide

In 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a report on (non-military) suicide rates by industry and occupation, based on 2021 data among U.S. persons of working age. According to the CDC report, the industries with the highest suicide rates include:

– Mining

– Construction

– Other Services (a catchall category that includes personal care, laundry, dry cleaning, pet care, death care, equipment repair, and many other service jobs)

– Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation

– Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, and Hunting

The CDC report also discussed several job-related factors that can directly affect the risk of suicide, including:

– Work-related access to lethal means

– Job stress

– Poor support from supervisors and colleagues

– Low job control

– Job insecurity

That said, job-related factors are only one reason why certain jobs have higher suicide rates than others. Other demographic factors, such as age, race, ethnicity, educational attainment, and socioeconomic status, also affect suicide risk, and some occupations are disproportionately made up of people with those non-work-related risk factors. Still, it’s important to recognize the role that job-related factors play in increasing suicide risk among both military and civilian workers.

Both employers and medical providers need to make suicide prevention a priority

Especially in fields with high suicide rates, employers should make suicide prevention a top priority. Some steps employers can take to help mitigate the risk of suicide include:

– Providing ample time off that can be used to access mental health services.

– Providing an employee assistance plan (EAP).

– Distributing information on suicide prevention services, including the 988 Lifeline, in the workplace.

–  Changing workplace cultures to reduce job stress, promote flexibility to the extent possible, and ensure employees are supported.

– Immediately addressing bullying, harassment, and discrimination in the workplace.

Just as importantly, medical providers need to incorporate screening for work-related factors in their assessments of suicide risk, including job stress and access to lethal means at work. Overlooking this key element of suicide prevention can have devastating consequences.

We fight for accountability for families

Suicide is preventable, and in too many cases, a death by suicide is caused by negligence on the part of medical professionals who failed to know how to assess for suicide risk; that covers a great majority of clinicians in hospitals, emergency rooms, and in outpatient offices. They simply do not know what they don’t know. Our job is to help teach providers how to become competent in suicide assessments, and/or hold clinicians accountable for deaths by suicide and pursue justice for grieving families.

If you have lost a loved one to suicide completion, The Law Offices of Skip Simpson would be honored to listen to your story and explain your possible legal options. Give us a call or contact us online for a free, confidential consultation. Our firm is based in Texas and serves families throughout the United States.

Suicide prevention has many facets. It includes informal support from friends, family, employers, teachers, and others who interact with people at risk of suicide. It also includes formal mental health care, and unfortunately, a lack of access to care can dramatically increase the risk of dying by suicide.

That’s why we applaud the hard work of organizations that work to fill gaps in care and address unmet needs. CBS News recently reported on one such organization in Colorado, the Hope Institute, which seeks “to provide care in between general therapy and hospitalization.”

“Looking at our statistics, Colorado also has one of the highest rates of death by suicide in the country,” said Dr. Benjamin Finlayson, Clinical Director at the Hope Institute. “Us being here is really taking a proactive look at treating and addressing why suicide is so much higher in the state of Colorado.”

Closing gaps in services is critical to prevent deaths by suicide

Unfortunately, lack of access to mental health services plays a significant role in suicide deaths across the United States.

One recent study found that up to 80% of children and adolescents who die by suicide had at least some involvement with the healthcare system in the year prior to their deaths, but less than a third were actually able to access mental health services. Most ended up going to the emergency room, where overworked and undertrained staff weren’t able to meet their mental health needs. The study authors recommended training emergency department staff and prehospital clinicians in childhood mental health disorders and suicide prevention, as well as increasing the availability of mental health clinicians in schools and community settings, according to SafeSide Prevention.

A research review by RAND found that studies have consistently shown a correlation between greater access to mental health services and lower suicide rates, and at least two studies have shown causal effects between increased access to mental health services and reduced rates of death by suicide. The implications are clear: we need more access to competent mental health services, particularly in areas where suicide rates are above the national average.

Suicide prevention needs to be fully integrated into the healthcare system

While increasing access to mental health services is critical, it’s also important to strengthen suicide prevention resources across the continuum of care. That means training health care providers and others who interact with at-risk individuals to spot the warning signs of suicidality and make appropriate referrals to more specialized resources. The emergency department is a prime example: ED physicians and nurses must refer patients at any suicide risk to a competent mental health specialist. It is also vital to check prior ED visit records to see why the patient came to the ED. It may be because the patient was at risk for suicide on an earlier visit. If so, appropriate screening for suicidal thinking MUST occur.

Our law firm fights for accountability for families

Suicide is preventable, and a death by suicide is often the result of negligence on the part of medical professionals who treated the suicidal person. Our law firm works hard to hold those medical professionals accountable.

If you have lost a loved one to suicide completion, give us a call or contact us online for a free consultation. We’re based in Texas but represent families throughout the United States.