The Northwest Pennsylvania (NW PA) Veteran Suicide Prevention Program operates on a three-pronged approach involving healthcare providers, community organizations, and Veterans and their families in the 15 counties of NW PA. Because of this focus, we want to share information about the suicide data resources available through The National Council for Suicide Prevention. We encourage everyone to review this information, share it within personal and professional networks, and get involved in stigma-reduction and suicide prevention efforts in their communities. We hope these resources will be useful to your suicide prevention and advocacy efforts.
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The National Council for Suicide Prevention’s US Suicide Data Resources
The National Council for Suicide Prevention is a coalition of eight national organizations working to prevent suicide. The mission of the National Council for Suicide Prevention is to advance suicide prevention through leadership, advocacy and a collective voice. Collectively, NCSP member organizations have an operating budget of more than $100 million. In the last year, these organizations directly impacted the lives of more than 2 million people.
Beginning with the 2022 US suicide data, data sheets are now publicly shared at https://www.thencsp.org/suicide-statistics. Included is a free PDF of over 140 slides summarizing suicide morbidity and mortality data. These slides and sheets are free to anyone who would like to use them. Reports include suicide statistics by age, race, gender, region and state. Of key importance to the NW PA Veteran Suicide Prevention Program is the data sheet, All Suicides vs. Firearm Suicides. For 2022, Pennsylvania placed 34th (tied with North Carolina) for overall suicide rate with 1,955 reported suicides. Pennsylvania also placed 39th for firearm suicide rates with 1,060 of our 1,955 deaths attributed to firearm use (54.2%).
Ready to become part of the solution and learn how to talk about suicide and mental health? Register now for our upcoming QPR Gatekeeper and CALM training sessions.
Looking to Get Involved?
Whether you identify as a healthcare provider, community organization, or Veteran, there are several opportunities through the NW PA Veteran Suicide Prevention Program and PERU to connect to resources, participate in educational training, and promote harm reduction strategies. We are actively recruiting healthcare and community partners to work with us in meeting our goals and objectives. To learn more, visit the program website at theresilientveteran.org.
Need Help? Know Someone Who Does? Contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or use the online Lifeline Crisis Chat. Both are free and confidential. You’ll be connected to a skilled, trained counselor in your area.