Suicide

If you are experiencing a crisis, please call the suicide and crisis lifeline at 988 (U.S.).

Suicide is a public health problem

Suicide rates in the U.S. increased 37% between 2000 and 2018, according to the CDC. More than 48,000 people died by suicide in 2021.

This is a major public health concern that impacts individuals, families and communities. Many factors contribute to suicide risk, so prevention measures must also be multifaceted.

We must work together to reduce stigma and ensure everyone has access to mental health care.

A public health approach to prevention

Advancing suicide prevention as a public health issue will require:

• Investing in accurate and timely suicide-related data.
• Increasing funding for suicide research, programming and evaluation.
• Addressing contextual factors that reduce suicide risk and support resilience, particularly for historically underserved populations.
• Promoting lethal means safety and other policies that can be employed at population levels to prevent suicide.
• Developing crisis services and other evidence-based strategies for those experiencing a suicide-related crisis.

Read more in APHA's 2021 policy statement promoting suicide prevention as a public health issue and calling for the field to invest in national, state and local infrastructure for suicide prevention. 

Take Action

Everyone can help prevent suicide by learning the warning signs, promoting prevention and resilience and committing to social change.

The Suicide Prevention Resource for Action from CDC details the strategies with the best available evidence to reduce suicide.

Friends, family members, coworkers and others can help if they know how to recognize and respond to suicide risk. Warning signs may include: 

• Talking about or making plans for suicide.
• Expressing hopelessness about the future.
• Displaying severe or overwhelming emotional pain or distress.

We can be each other’s lifeline. Learn more about suicide warning signs.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org, or reach out to a mental health professional.

Our Work

APHA is committed to strengthening and promoting a public health approach to suicide prevention:

Intersectional Council for Suicide Prevention

APHA launched the Intersectional Council for Suicide Prevention in 2019 to bring together public health professionals from various fields, settings and roles to collaborate on suicide prevention. 

The ISC-SP educates the APHA community on suicide prevention by:

• Hosting webinars and presentations
• Creating publications
• Providing guidance, resources and networking opportunities.

Find the latest the ISC-SP updates on Instagram and Facebook.

Policy Statements

APHA released the following policy statements on suicide prevention:

• Comprehensive Approach to Suicide Prevention within a Public Health Framework (2021)
• Public Health Actions That Support Implementation of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (2022)

Resources