Suicide presents a significant and growing public health concern across the lifespan. Understanding the issues concerning suicide and mental health is an important way to take part in suicide prevention, help others in crisis, and change the conversation around suicide. 

There are many factors that contribute to suicide. The goal of suicide prevention is to reduce factors that increase risk and increase factors that promote resilience. This is all of our responsibility – families, neighbors, friends, primary care, mental health care and other healthcare providers, school counselors, teachers, administrators, social service providers – all of us. We can help build protective factors for our community members- by staying connected, asking how they are - and really listening, and connecting them to resources. These are all ways to let them know you care.

Specific subsets of the population, such as first responders, military members, and veterans, have higher rates of suicide than others. Factors such as mental illness and substance use also contribute to an individual’s risk of suicide.

There are some individual characteristics and things we can do in communities that may help protect people from suicidal thoughts and behavior, like: developing coping and problem-solving skills, connections to friends, family, and community support, supportive relationships with care providers, availability of physical and mental health care, and limited access to lethal means. Suicide is preventable and everyone has a role to play to save lives and create healthy individuals, families, and communities.

Watch Moving Forward to learn more about how increasing what protects people and reducing what puts people at risk benefits everyone.

Because of the impact suicide has on the residents of New Hampshire, NH RSA 126-R establishes a Council on Suicide Prevention (referred to more commonly as the Suicide Prevention Council or SPC). By statute, the SPC shall "oversee the implementation of the New Hampshire suicide prevention plan. The council shall ensure the continued effectiveness of the plan by evaluating its implementation, producing progress reports, and recommending program changes, initiatives, funding opportunities, and new priorities to update the plan. The council shall also be a proponent for suicide prevention in New Hampshire."

The mission of the State Suicide Prevention Council is to reduce the incidence of suicide in New Hampshire by accomplishing the goals of the State Suicide Prevention Plan:

• Raise public and professional awareness of suicide prevention;
• Address the mental health and substance abuse needs of all residents;
• Address the needs of those affected by suicide; and
• Promote policy change