The Washtenaw County Health Department has released its annual suicide report, marking a continued decline in overall suicide completion rates since 2021.
Starting three years ago, the Washtenaw County Health Department has compiled reports about local suicides to better implement its suicide prevention strategies.
Health Department spokesperson Lisa deRamos says while it’s good to see the overall completion rate decrease to 10.3% from last year’s report of 12.3%, there are still roadblocks in addressing suicide. She adds stigma, whether cultural or generational, plays a major role in preventing people from seeking help when they need it most.
"Suicide is preventable, and everyone should take mental health concerns seriously. Anyone and everyone deserves to get the support they need, and they don’t need to wait until a crisis.”
deRamos says programs and initiatives funded by the Washtenaw County Mental Health and Public Safety Millage have contributed to the county having a lower suicide completion rate average compared to the state average.
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