Queen Anne’s County Declares September as Suicide Prevention Month
Every 11 minutes, someone in the U.S. dies by suicide, despite most of these deaths being preventable. In 2022, 49,476 people across the U.S., including 608 in Maryland, died by suicide. In Maryland, suicide is a leading cause of death among youth, with the Mid-Shore region seeing rates 40% higher than the state average. Each death by suicide affects 115 people on average, and the economic toll is nearly $7 billion per year in medical and work-loss costs.
In Queen Anne’s County, 15.4% of teens attempted suicide in 2021, highlighting the urgent need for action. Many individuals facing suicidal thoughts never receive effective behavioral health services due to access barriers and stigma.
This September, we urge our community to:
- Support accessible behavioral health services to reduce suicide risk for people of all ages.
- Recognize suicide as a major public health risk and prioritize mental health support.
We invite all citizens to work towards preventing suicide by reaching out, listening without judgment, and sharing resources. Let’s promote a mentally healthy community—no matter what.