FAYETTE COUNTY — In Ohio, roughly 1,600 individuals die from suicide each year and more than twice as many people die from suicide than homicide. While there is no single cause of suicide, there are things we can all do to reduce the risk.

Sharing information and resources and raising awareness about the impact of suicide on communities is a vital part of suicide prevention efforts. Suicide impacts communities across racial, age, socioeconomic, and geographic sectors, and suicide prevention efforts require collaboration among all sectors of society. These efforts must be coordinated, as no single approach can impact an issue as complex as suicide.

Suicide prevention coalitions concentrate the community’s focus, encourage alliances, and create consistency in the community’s approach to the root causes of suicide. Together, members of a coalition can do more to reduce suicides, support grieving families, and inspire change in the world around them than if they work by themselves.

The Fayette County Suicide Prevention Coalition is dedicated to building healthy and safe communities by helping others discover their reasons to live through promoting awareness, education, intervention, and support services. The goal is to save lives by connecting Fayette Countians to hope, help, and suicide prevention resources.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. The Fayette County Suicide Prevention Coalition is giving away yard signs to promote the National Crisis & Suicide Lifeline – 988. Signs will be available Saturday, May 13 at the Fayette County Public Health table at the Farmers Market from 8:30 a.m. – noon and the Community Action Program Fair at CAC from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call the National Crisis & Suicide Lifeline at 988 or Text 4HOPE to 741741.

For more information regarding the Fayette County Suicide Prevention Coalition, call 740-773-2283