Court proclaims September Suicide Awareness Month

September is “Suicide Awareness Month,” and with that in mind, Hays County proclaimed September 2024 as National Suicide Prevention and Action Month at the regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday.

“The National Suicide Prevention and Action Month Proclamation was created to raise the visibility of mental health and proactive suicide prevention resources in our community. The month also includes National Suicide Prevention Week beginning with World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10th; a moment in time in which we rally the public to create awareness of this leading cause of death and inspire more and more people to learn how they can play a role in their communities in helping save lives. We want to start the conversation, destigmatize it and help connect people with the appropriate support services,” the proclamation stated. “According to National Alliance on Mental Illness, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute of Mental Health, Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among people ages ten to 14 and the 3rd leading cause of death among people ages 15 to 24 in the U.S. 46% of people who die by suicide had a diagnosed mental health condition, but research shows that 90% may have experienced symptoms of a mental health condition.”

According to NAMI, CDC and NIMH the prevalence of serious thoughts of suicide greatly impacts youth.

“In the U.S. Specifically, 11.3% of young adults ages 18 to 25, 18.8% of high school students and 45% of LGBTQ youth in the US [experience suicidal thoughts],” the proclamation stated. “Hays County is dedicated to enhancing the quality and accessibility of behavioral health services and resources for its residents and has established a behavioral health program to coordinate and align services countywide.”

There are many organizations in Hays County that address this issue: Cenikor Foundation, Greater San Marcos Youth Council, Hays Caldwell Women’s Center, NAMI Central Texas, Communities in Schools of Central Texas, Hill Country MHDD Centers along with other organizations and local mental health providers.

“[These organizations] serve on the front lines and see the impact of suicide and work to reduce the stigma, provide resources, support and provide education to the city of San Marcos and Hays County,” the proclamation stated. “We encourage all residents to take time to understand mental health through education by actively participating in Mental Health First Aid Training, ASIST Suicide Prevention Training, Youth Awareness of Mental Health Training and other opportunities to increase education and awareness in Hays County.”

The proclamation stated that we need to take care of our mental health while we take care of each other.