Suicide Prevention
SHERIFF'S OFFICE
Suicide is a serious public health issue in Idaho. In 2010, Idaho ranked sixth in the nation in completed suicides per capita and suicide was the second leading cause of death for Idaho’s youth, accounting for 22% of teen mortality. While there is no single study revealing the reasons for Idaho’s high suicide rate, a great deal of research on individual elements points clearly to three highly influential factors:
- Lack of access to effective, affordable mental health care.
- A culture of rugged individualism where self-support is paramount. This type of belief system does not lend itself well to help-seeking behavior and may serve to stigmatize those who seek mental health care as weak.
- Easy access to very lethal means – firearms. There is a proven strong correlation, not causation, between states with the highest suicide rates and states with the highest percentage of gun-owning households.
- Threatening to, or talking about wanting to hurt or kill oneself
- Seeking access to methods of killing oneself
- Talking or writing about death, dying or suicide when out of the ordinary for that person
- Abrupt personality changes
- Dramatic mood changes
- Feeling hopeless
- Feeling trapped
- Acting reckless or engaging in risky activities seemingly without thinking
- Hostile behavior
- Withdrawing from friends, family, and society
- Increasing alcohol or drug use
- Giving away possessions
- Previous suicide attempt
- Significant weight change
- Inability to sleep or sleeping all the time
- Neglecting personal appearance
- Neglecting work
- Seeing no reason for living or having no sense of purpose in life
- Abrupt ending of a personal relationship
- Unusually long grief reaction
Biopsychosocial Risk Factors
- Mental disorders
- Alcohol and other substance use disorders
- Impulsive and/or aggressive tendencies
- Hopelessness
- History of trauma or abuse
- Some major physical illnesses
- Previous suicide attempt
- Family history of suicide
Environmental Risk Factors
- Job or financial loss
- Relationship or social loss
- Easy access to lethal means
- Local clusters of suicide that have a contagious influence
Sociocultural Risk Factors
- Lack of social support
- Sense of isolation
- Stigma associated with seeking help
- Barriers to accessing mental health care and substance abuse treatment
- Certain cultural and religious beliefs (those that believe suicide is noble)
- Exposure to, and influence of others who have died by suicide
If you or someone you know is exhibiting the warning signs of suicide:
- Do not leave the person alone
- Remove any firearms, alcohol, drugs or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt
- Call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK
- The Suicide Prevention Action Network of Idaho (SPAN Idaho)
- Idaho Suicide Prevention Plan
- 2011 Idaho Youth Risk Behavior Survey
- Survivor Support Groups in Idaho
- Suicide Prevention Resource Center
- American Federation for Suicide Prevention
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) – Boise Office
- American Association of Suicidology
- Resources for Suicide Prevention
Kieran Donahue
Address
1115 Albany St Rm.137
Caldwell, ID 83605
Phone
P 208-454-7510
Hours
Weekdays 8am – 5pm
(excluding holidays)
Non-Emergency Dispatch
208-454-7531
NOTICE
ATTORNEYS: If you have a client in custody within our facility and would like your calls to or from your client to be without charge and protected from recording and or monitoring please contact classifications at 208-455-5977.