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Suicide Prevention Program
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The purpose of this page is to provide information. It is NOT intended to be used for crisis prevention or intervention, or as a substitute for seeking professional help. The Commonwealth of Kentucky and its Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities provide no guarantee of the accuracy of, nor warranties of any kind related to, the material provided by external entities. Use of this information is at the sole risk of the user.
The Problem of Suicide - In the past decade, an average of 669 Kentucky citizens died by suicide annually.
- More than THREE times as many people die by suicide anually in Kentucky than die by homicide.
- Kentucky's suicide death rate is the sixteenth highest in the nation.
- Suicide is the eleventh leading cause of death overall in Kentucky.
- Suicide is the second leading cause of death for ages 10–34.
- Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death for ages 35–44.
- Suicide disproportionately affects Kentucky's senior citizens.
With growing concern for the problem of suicide in Kentucky and the knowledge that such devastating acts of violence are preventable, in 2002 the Division of Mental Health invited various community leaders to establish the Kentucky Suicide Prevention Group (KSPG). In 2009, KSPG membership voted to incorporate as a 501(c)(3) organization.
In 2013, the state Suicide Prevention staff for DBHDID established the Suicide Prevention Consortium of Kentucky (SPCK) to bring together community leaders, health professionals, survivors, and all who are dedicated to stopping suicide deaths in Kentucky. The SPCK is open to the public and is currently supported by a state Suicide Prevention Coordinator within DBHDID.
Key Messages - A life is too much to lose.
- Suicide is a preventable public health problem.
- Suicide Prevention: It's Everybody's Business
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