*** If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, call 988***
In 2022, 872 Oklahomans died by suicide, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse (ODMHSAS).
2 News sees the effects of suicide on Green Country communities often, so we took a look at what puts certain Oklahomans at higher risk of suicide and what the state, cities, and non-profits are doing to lower our suicide rates.
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Out of the 872 lost to suicide last year, 45% saw a primary care physician within 30 days of their death. The ODMHSAS is trying to combat this by making more mental health facilities Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics or a CCBHC.
The department reports of the 872 people, less than 1% had been seen at CCBHC. For a full list of the 32 certified locations, click here.
Roughly 17 Veterans take their lives daily in our country
The Department of Veterans Affairs says recent data shows that 17 veterans die by suicide every day. Out of those 17, 11 of them were not connected to VA care.
The veteran suicide rate is two times higher than that of civilians. Veterans are also 20% more likely to use a firearm during suicide.
PTSD and injuries from service is often a cause of mental health issues for veterans, but veterans are also more likely to struggle financially and be unhoused.
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A mental health evaluation team started by Eastern Oklahoma VA Healthcare System is hoping to lower these numbers by sending out mental health professionals along with police when responding to veterans.
TheBixby Police Departmentis one of them.
Bixby officer Seth Adcock says most of the calls he’s responded to were crisis calls.
“The times I’ve witnessed it firsthand, these veterans were in crisis and wanting to take their own life and we were able to talk them down,” says Officer Adcock.
The team also conducts welfare checks and follows-up with calls and visits. Officer Adcock says he and the VA want to get the word out about this program so more veterans who need help, can get it.
Oklahoma suicides for children 17 and under rank above the national average
In 2019, suicides ranked second nationally for the leading cause of death among those aged 10-17. However, it was the leading cause of death for this age range in Oklahoma.
The state is consistently above the national average for suicide death in children 17 and under from 2000 to 2020 — with 2005 being the only year it dipped below.
The Oklahoma State Department of Health reports that 100% of suicide deaths for Black children were male from 2016 to 2020. Other data for sex, race, and ethnicity showed a roughly 60/30 ratio for male-to-female suicides.
Oklahoma also ranks high in intentional nonfatal self-harm for 17 and under. The average self-harm lowered for all ages except for those 17 and under, which increased from 2016 to 2020.
OSDH said some leading causes for youth suicides are mental health, criminal activity, and major life changes.
28% of the suicides from 2015-2019 reported to the State were due to school problems.
The Oklahoma State Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse issued a list of ways they are supporting educators to help prevent suicide deaths for children.
The plans constructed by the state have been implemented in more than 250 schools and provide suicide prevention training for teachers. So far, 35,000 teachers have received this training statewide.
They also provided schools with evidence-based curriculum that highlights mental and behavioral health strategies.
The implementation of Oklahoma House Bill 4106 outlines protocols for schools that believe a student may be in a mental health crisis. This bill connects schools with local resources and intervention services to limit the risk of suicide. It also requires schools to submit their local mental health policies to the Oklahoma Department of Education for review.
This bill is enacted to be proactive in spotting and reporting a mental health crisis.
The state participates in the Oklahoma Violent Death Reporting System, which obtains data from all deaths that are not due to natural causes.
Resources:
- Oklahoma's statewide mental health lifeline call or text: 988
- COPES Tulsa's crisis and emotional support hotline: 918-744-4800
- Ride CARE is a mobile crisis team that is dispatched to situations for further assessment and intervention after 988. It has done over 1.5 million miles in transports in its first year, according to Oklahoma Mental Health and Substance Abuse.
- Oklahomans for Equality offers specific counseling services to the LGBTQ+ community. The first five sessions are free, with the following at $5 per session. For more information, call: 918-594-8568
- Laureate Psychiatric Clinic and Hospital is an inpatient facility that provides care and resources, allowing those who need it the time to recover. To learn more, go on visit its website or call 918-481-4000.
- Tulsa Center for Behavioral Healthserves patients 18 and older, providing mental health services and psychiatric care. To learn more, go on visit its website.
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