Memorandum
Date: September 9, 2025
To: The Honorable Lake County Board of Supervisors
From: Elise Jones, Director of Behavioral Health Services
Subject: Adopt Proclamation Designating the Week of September 8 through 13, 2025 as Suicide Prevention Week and the Day of September 10, 2025 as World Suicide Prevention Day
Executive Summary:
DESIGNATING THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 8 THROUGH 13, 2025
AS SUICIDE PREVENTION WEEK AND THE DAY OF
SEPTEMBER 10, 2025 AS WORLD SUICIDE PREVENTION DAY
WHEREAS, September is recognized as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and the week of September 8th through September 13th is National Suicide Prevention Week, which individuals, organizations, and communities bring awareness to the ongoing epidemic of suicide, bring hope to those who are struggling, offer support to those who have lost loved ones, educate and de-stigmatize, provide resources, and community outreach to the community in an effort to continue to prevent suicide; and
WHEREAS, suicide remains the 11th leading cause of death in the United States with 49,316 deaths by suicide in 2023, or 1 death every 11 minutes, 12.8 million people having thoughts of suicide, 3.7 million having made plans to attempt suicide, and 1.5 million who have attempted suicide;
WHEREAS, Lake County has the second highest rate of suicide per capita in California with 16 confirmed deaths per 100,000 total population by suicide in 2021;
WHEREAS, suicide affects everyone regardless of age, ethnicity, or background, and promoting and maintaining individual and community wellness, knowing the signs and symptoms of suicide, and provide adequate services to those in need will continually help in reducing and preventing suicide;
WHEREAS, recognizing the urgency of providing prevention and intervention services available to all residents of Lake County including those who are at high risk;
WHEREAS, there are resources available including the 988 crisis line a...
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