Deschutes County’s Suicide Prevention Program, in partnership with the Central Oregon Suicide Prevention Alliance (COSPA), has released a new report on the Secure Ammunition and Firearms Effectively initiative, or S.A.F.E. Known as SEGURO in Spanish, the initiative is showing early signs of success in Central Oregon.
COSPA launched S.A.F.E./SEGURO in response to the high number of firearm-related suicide deaths in the region. From 2020 to 2024, 61% of suicide deaths in Central Oregon were caused by firearm. The initiative aims to reduce that number by raising community awareness, expanding access to secure storage and encouraging conversations about secure firearm storage during times of stress.
The report evaluated project work from Jan. 1, 2024, to Dec. 31, 2025. During that time, the project distributed more than 1,700 lockboxes in Crook, Deschutes and Jefferson counties. When given a choice, 77% of participants selected a handgun lockbox, showing strong demand for practical in-home storage.
The project also produced public service announcements and social media posts in English and Spanish about secure gun storage and suicide prevention. According to the report, the project reached more than 45,000 people online, and its ads appeared more than 2 million times.
“This report shows that people across Central Oregon are responding to practical, local solutions,” said Caroline Suiter, Deschutes County Mental Health Promotion Strategist. “By expanding access to secure storage and creating messages that reflect our communities, we are helping support safer homes and stronger suicide prevention efforts.”
The findings will help strengthen the S.A.F.E./SEGURO project, inform similar efforts in other communities, and support the coalition’s expansion of secure medication storage and lockbox distribution across Central Oregon later this year.
To read the full report, visit the S.A.F.E./SEGURO website.
This story is based on submitted information and has not been verified by our news team.
MAKE LOCAL JOURNALISM HAPPEN
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
