Suicide rates increased 30% between 2000-2018 and declined in 2019 and 2020. Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States, with 45,979 deaths in 2020. This is about one death every 11 minutes. The number of people who think about or attempt suicide is even higher. In 2020, an estimated 12.2 million American adults seriously thought about suicide, 3.2 million planned a suicide attempt, and 1.2 million attempted suicide.  In 2020, suicide was among the top 9 leading causes of death for people ages 10-64. Suicide was the second leading cause of death for people ages 10-14 and 25-34.  2022 NC SHIP, pg. 108.

Some groups have higher suicide rates than others. Suicide rates vary by race/ethnicity, age, and other factors, such as where someone lives. By race/ethnicity, the groups with the highest rates were non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native and non-Hispanic White populations. Other Americans with higher than average rates of suicide are veterans, people who live in rural areas, and workers in certain industries and occupations like mining and construction. Young people who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual have higher rates of suicidal thoughts and behavior compared to their peers who identify as heterosexual.  2022 NC SHIP, pg. 110

• Continue to support the integration of physical and mental health
• Create trauma informed schools with access to mental health providers
• Expand access to tele-mental health services
• Expand Medicaid eligibility criteria to increase access to mental health services
• Implement policies targeted to decrease access to lethal means
• Improve access to social services and other supports
• Increase programs that provide mental health services and support for LGBTQ youth
• Increase programs that provide mental health services and support for veterans
• Increase state funding for mental health services provided through local mental health systems

NC State Center for Health Statistics, Vital Statistics

• Stories from survivors/families and their experiences with getting help for mental health/substance use disorders
• Enhanced death certificate review
• Inventory of all local/regional services for mental health care/substance use disorder