Growing number of groups working on suicide prevention
Hanna Pepprock
September was Suicide Prevention Month, a time to raise awareness and support those affected by suicide. Project Tomorrow Montana, a collaboration between United Way of Missoula County and Missoula Public Health, leads a network of organizations focused on suicide prevention and postvention through education, awareness, and support.
To mark the month, Project Tomorrow hosted free trainings on suicide prevention and safe firearm storage, joined NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Missoula for an ice cream social, and created luminaria with Tamarack Grief Resource Center to honor lost loved ones. Suicide Prevention Week ended with the Five Valleys Out of the Darkness Walk, organized by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Montana Chapter—an inspiring event for remembrance, connection, and hope. Project Tomorrow is grateful to share this work with our network of dedicated organizations, survivors, and advocates.
Suicide remains a leading cause of death in Montana across all ages, profoundly impacting families and communities across the state. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2023, Montana had the second highest suicide rate in the nation. Montana’s high suicide rate is influenced by a combination of factors including geographic isolation, seasonal effects on mental health, access to and stigma surrounding mental healthcare, and access to firearms. While certain groups, such as Veterans, American Indian and Alaska Native populations, and LGBTQIA2S+ communities, are disproportionately impacted by suicide, the reality is that suicide knows no boundaries; it affects people of all ages, races, genders, and backgrounds.
It is important to raise concern for this issue but also inspire hope. After reaching a peak in 2021 and 2022, suicide rates in Montana and in Missoula have been declining. An increasing number of calls to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, launched nationwide in 2022, reflects the community’s growing willingness to seek help.
There are an increasing number of professionals, organizations, coalitions, and community members across the state dedicated to preventing suicide. The unrelenting passion and strength of these individuals and groups is inspiring.
Everyone can help prevent suicide in their community year-round:
1. Educate yourself and others on warning signs and risk factors. Knowing the warning signs and risk factors for suicide can help you look out for yourself and your loved ones. Sometimes these signs are subtle or easily dismissed. Becoming more familiar with them can help you be more confident in identifying them.
2. Ask the question. If you recognize signs of suicide in someone you know, it is important to ask the person directly, “Are you thinking about suicide?” and follow-up with appropriate professional help. This may feel awkward or emotionally challenging– that’s okay. If you are unable to ask the question, find someone who can. The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, 988, is available by call or text 24/7 for support. Call 911 or go directly to the ER in emergencies.
3. Securely store firearms and medications. While chronic factors are often present, acute suicidal crises are usually brief. When individuals have easy access to lethal means during those moments of intense distress, the risk of a fatal outcome increases.
By creating time and space between a person and a potentially deadly method, we give them a greater chance to survive the crisis and seek help. Store firearms unloaded, locked, and separate from ammunition. Secure medications in locked boxes or cabinets and properly dispose of unused or expired medications.
For more information on suicide warning signs, available training opportunities, and community resources, visit: ProjectTomorrowMT.org. If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 24/7 for free, confidential support. You are never alone.
Hanna Pepprock is the suicide prevention coordinator at Missoula Public Health.