Deschutes County Hosts Events for Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

Overview:

Deschutes County is hosting several community events throughout September to raise awareness about suicide prevention.

Deschutes County is hosting several community events throughout September to raise awareness about suicide prevention and connect people with mental health resources.

“Suicide Prevention Awareness Month is especially important as it can help bring visibility, understanding, and hope to a health issue that is often surrounded by silence and stigma,” said Caroline Suiter, mental health promotion strategist for Deschutes County.

Free tools and support

The County, working with the Central Oregon Suicide Prevention Alliance, has planned five free events designed to reduce stigma around mental health and provide tools for recognizing warning signs of suicide. “By coming together as a community and talking openly and safely about this health issue, we can identify those at risk and provide the life-saving resources, such as 988, our national support line, for those to get the help they need,” said Suiter.

Suicide remains a major public health concern nationally and locally. Someone dies by suicide every 11 minutes in the United States, making it the 11th leading cause of death. For people ages 10-14 and 25-34, it’s the second leading cause. Firearms are used in over 50% of suicide deaths, making them the most common method. In Deschutes County, about 58% of suicide deaths involve firearms, higher than state and national averages. For youth ages 10-17, firearms are involved in 65% of suicide deaths.

“Every suicide is one too many, but early recognition of warning signs and early intervention can save lives,” said Jessica Jacks, prevention and health promotion program manager in a recent press release. “We hope that the activities planned for this month will not only raise awareness about suicide but also help reduce its stigma.”

Each September, county commissioners proclaim September as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. The County collaborates with various organizations to offer focused prevention and awareness activities.

On Sept. 4, the county’s suicide prevention team hosted a training to teach participants how to recognize warning signs, ask about suicide and connect people to help.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention will host its Out of Darkness Walk on Saturday at Alpenglow Park, 61049 SE 15th Street in Bend. Check-in starts at 11 am, with the walk beginning at 11:45 am. The event encourages people to share their connections to suicide and builds community support.

On Monday, Sept. 8, residents can visit the county’s suicide prevention office from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm at 2100 NE Wyatt Court to pick up materials about the 988 Lifeline, a free crisis resource available in English and Spanish.

On Sept. 11, organizers will hold a candlelight vigil to remember those who have died by suicide.
*Courtesy: Unsplash*

The month will conclude with a candlelight vigil Thursday, Sept. 11, from 6:30 to 8 pm on the front lawn of the Bend-La Pine Schools Education Center at 520 NW Wall Street. The event is for anyone who has lost someone to suicide and will include music, candle-lighting and community activities.

Local statistics highlight need

Deschutes County records approximately three suicide deaths each month. To address some of this crisis, two new mental health facilities are being established in Redmond.

Construction began on Sept. 4 for Jory Behavioral Health, a 16-bed adult residential facility. Jory Behavioral Health will offer 24-hour access to nurses and mental health workers along with medication management, case management and various therapy modalities. The Oregon Health Authority provided Deschutes County with $2 million in funding for this project, located on Canal Boulevard. The facility is expected to be completed in late 2026.

Additionally, the Oregon legislature recently approved funding for a 15-bed youth mental health facility in Redmond. Currently, there are no secure facilities that offer a high level of psychiatric residential treatment services for youth in Central Oregon. Local youth who need psychiatric hospitalization often end up stuck in emergency rooms waiting for an open bed somewhere in Willamette Valley or the Portland metropolitan area.

The second leading cause of death among youth ages 10-14 is death by suicide.
*Courtesy: Taiki Ishikawa for Unsplash*

“This is very difficult for families and especially the child in need of care, as removal from the community and separation from their support system can be very traumatic, not to mention boarding in an emergency room for days and sometimes weeks,” explained Holly Harris, interim health services director for Deschutes County Health Services.

The Deschutes County Board of Commissioners, Rep. Emerson Levy, Sen. Anthony Broadman and several organizations helped support this project. The Oregon legislature approved over $3 million in lottery funds this past session, with the Oregon Health Authority matching these funds and the Central Oregon Health Council contributing an additional $750,000.

The County also has submitted a congressionally directed spending request for more than $1 million to fund furniture and equipment and is waiting for those funds before accepting a request for proposals, said Harris. The tentative timeline for the project is mid-2027.