CONCORD, N.H. — Suicide is a preventable public health issue. In honor of National and NH Suicide Prevention Week, September 8-14, the New Hampshire Suicide Prevention Council hosted a press conference with Granite State officials including representatives from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention – NH, NAMI New Hampshire, and the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services to discuss statewide efforts and resources geared to prevent suicide. Speakers highlighted the community impact of NH Rapid Response/988, discussed statewide resources for suicide prevention and heard from a youth with lived experience.
“This week provides a vital opportunity for the NH Suicide Prevention Council to remind our fellow New Hampshire citizens, whether they are personally struggling, or they’re concerned about someone else, that help is available and they’re not alone,” said Amy Cook, director of training at NAMI New Hampshire and chair of the NH Suicide Prevention Council. “We believe that everyone has a role in suicide prevention. It touches individuals and entire communities, and only together can we make lasting positive impacts.”
In New Hampshire, suicide is the second leading cause of death among individuals ages 15 to 34 and the ninth leading cause of death overall. New Hampshire has taken important steps to advance suicide prevention, including strengthening the state’s long standing lifeline center, adding a secondary lifeline center, implementing NH Rapid Response that includes statewide mobile crisis response, increasing mental health training for first responders and building a peer workforce. These and other priority items of the 10-Year Mental Health Plan will help reduce emergency department boarding and increase timely access to mental health treatment.
“Mental health, substance use, and suicidal crisis are amongst the most complex, serious and preventable public health challenges,” said Katherine Cox, suicide prevention coordinator analyst division of Behavioral Health, NH Department of Health and Human Services. “Suicide prevention is everyone’s business. Providing a sense of hope and connectedness, reinforcing that mental health and substance use challenges can affect anyone and ensuring everyone in New Hampshire is aware of the resources available to them are some of the ways that each individual in our state can contribute to prevention. I’m so grateful for the willingness of our partners in New Hampshire to tackle these big issues in a thoughtful way that supports people’s dignity and self-efficacy while reducing stigma.”
“In 2023, the New Hampshire Rapid Response Access Point received over 34,600 contacts and the mobile crisis teams were dispatched over 6,200 times. This work has been made possible by many thriving partnerships at the state and local level, together with community members, policy makers, state agencies, nonprofits, health and social systems. New Hampshire is creating a system that serves all people with behavioral health needs, when and where they need it,” said Cox.
At the Sept. 6 press conference, a Granite State student shared her personal story. Abby struggled with physical and mental health for years. In October 2023, she was admitted to an inpatient medical psychiatric unit for eight months to get help.
“I was spending all my time in a hospital bed, running on two hours of sleep a night, tube fed because my health issues led to an eating disorder,” said Abby. “I couldn’t walk or stand up due to my condition. I was terrified of germs and getting sick, and I lost my ability to communicate my feelings. This left me feeling drained and alone… A week into my stay in the medical psychiatric unit, I attempted to take my life. It was a very scary experience. But I had one of my soon-to-be favorite staff members and a wonderful nurse caring for me and helping me through the day. I had conversations with my doctors who said they would do anything they could to keep me safe. After that day, it took some time, but I finally began to see that I wasn’t alone.”
Abby found healing in art and began folding paper cranes, a symbol of peace, love, hope, healing and lifelong health. During her stay she folded 1,000 paper cranes — and later created “Heart Map,” an artwork that illustrates her struggles, hope and healing. “Heart Map” was entered in the Magnify Voices Expressive Art Contest, an initiative of the NH Children’s System of Care that shines a light on youth mental health. Earlier this year, Abby was one of 12 finalists from youth in fifth through 12th grade.
“I am home now and am in an extremely different place than when I left. I have a mental health team filled with people who support me, and I am working hard to keep getting better. Getting treatment is incredibly crucial to the lives of people struggling with their mental health. In my case and that of many others, it is lifesaving,” Abby said.
During the press conference, the NH Suicide Prevention Council announced the 21st Annual Suicide Prevention Conference on Nov. 14, 2024 at the Grappone Center in Concord. The conference is devoted to bringing all individuals together to share, learn and expand suicide prevention efforts, along with support for loss survivors and attempt survivors. To register or learn more, visit PreventSuicideNH.org.
Should you or someone you know need mental health or substance use crisis care in New Hampshire, please call or text the NH Rapid Response Access Point at 1-833-710-6477 or visit NH988.com. If you need assistance outside NH, please call or text 988. Both are available 24/7.
