Olympia proclaims September 2024 Suicide Prevention Month  

Olympia City Council signed a proclamation on Tuesday (Sept. 10) designating September 2024 as Suicide Prevention Month, with the goal of starting a conversation about mental health and the impact of suicide to help remove the stigma and help connect people to the appropriate support services.  

Over 30% of callers to the Crisis Clinic of Thurston and Mason Counties report issues like housing insecurity or lack of a safe place to stay, highlighting the deep-rooted challenges fueling the suicide crisis. 

"When someone is unable to meet their own needs or to utilize the support system or to access resources, that person continues to be isolated, alone, and in a place of suffering with this affliction," warned Zachary Duncan, the executive director of the Crisis Clinic. 

He shared the challenges which those struggling with mental health, substance abuse, and suicidal ideation face. Over half of the calls the Crisis Clinic receives are related to these interconnected issues. 

"These issues are intertwined and are directly connected," Duncan explained. He emphasized that the more the community can address these acute issues, the better they can support protective factors to keep people who are struggling on the journey of recovery, rather than escalation and further isolation. 

Duncan urged the city council to continue addressing the issue with significant focus, and where possible, ensure that local funding and resources are made available to the agencies doing this work, to guarantee that people have the availability to receive support every day. 

Aram Wheeler, board president of the Crisis Clinic, spoke about the importance of community involvement and open-mindedness in addressing the suicide crisis. 

Wheeler emphasized that the 988 Lifeline is a step in the right direction but stressed that it "is not going to be a catch-all." He called on the community to step up, saying, "It's going to take everyone in the community to be open-minded and get out there and volunteer and make sure that people on the left and right are doing okay." 

He noted that, as Duncan mentioned, "the majority of our calls aren't suicide-related, but being able to help people before they get to that moment, or at least just knowing that there is someone on the other line, 24 hours a day for some people, can be that benefit and prevention towards suicide." 

According to Duncan, suicide remains a leading cause of death in the U.S., with over 50,000 deaths attributed to it in 2022 alone. He added that over 16 million people reported attempting suicide that year. The actual number, however, is likely much higher, as many attempts go unreported.  

He added that a recent census found that over 10% of high school students had attempted suicide within the past 12 months. 

The Olympia City Council's proclamation encourages all community members to understand the importance of mental health education. 

Community members in crisis can call, text, or chat with the 988 Lifeline from a cellphone, landline, or voice-over-internet device and be connected to a trained counselor at a 988 Lifeline crisis center. 

Olympia is installing signs similar to this on all city vehicles.