Abstract
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics released new data Dec. 22, 2020, that shows suicide rates in the United States declined slightly for the first time in nearly 15 years, a press release from the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention stated. In 2019, the age‐adjusted suicide rate was 13.9, down from 14.2 in 2018. “In 2019 alone, 47,511 Americans lost their lives to suicide — representing mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, spouses, and friends,” Action Alliance officials stated. “We are still losing far too many lives to this preventable public health issue, which is why our country must act now to make suicide prevention a national priority. In order to see a sustained, long‐lasting decrease in the suicide rate, we also need to implement systemic changes, particularly to our mental health system and crisis services infrastructure.” They added, “For example, as we prepare for the 2022 rollout of 988 as the new national three‐digit number for suicide prevention and mental health crises, it's imperative that we ensure an integrated, sustainable, well‐resourced crisis infrastructure is in place in order to provide a full continuum of care for those who may be struggling or in crisis.”
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