• English
    X

    Google Translate Disclaimer

    The Maryland Department of Information Technology (“DoIT”) offers translations of the content through Google Translate. Because Google Translate is an external website, DoIT does not control the quality or accuracy of translated content. All DoIT content is filtered through Google Translate which may result in unexpected and unpredictable degradation of portions of text, images and the general appearance on translated pages. Google Translate may maintain unique privacy and use policies. These policies are not controlled by DoIT and are not associated with DoIT’s privacy and use policies. After selecting a translation option, users will be notified that they are leaving DoIT’s website. Users should consult the original English content on DoIT’s website if there are any questions about the translated content.

    DoIT uses Google Translate to provide language translations of its content. Google Translate is a free, automated service that relies on data and technology to provide its translations. The Google Translate feature is provided for informational purposes only. Translations cannot be guaranteed as exact or without the inclusion of incorrect or inappropriate language. Google Translate is a third-party service and site users will be leaving DoIT to utilize translated content. As such, DoIT does not guarantee and does not accept responsibility for, the accuracy, reliability, or performance of this service nor the limitations provided by this service, such as the inability to translate specific files like PDFs and graphics (e.g. .jpgs, .gifs, etc.).

    DoIT provides Google Translate as an online tool for its users, but DoIT does not directly endorse the website or imply that it is the only solution available to users. All site visitors may choose to use alternate tools for their translation needs. Any individuals or parties that use DoIT content in translated form, whether by Google Translate or by any other translation services, do so at their own risk. DoIT is not liable for any loss or damages arising out of, or issues related to, the use of or reliance on translated content. DoIT assumes no liability for any site visitor’s activities in connection with use of the Google Translate functionality or content.

    The Google Translate service is a means by which DoIT offers translations of content and is meant solely for the convenience of non-English speaking users of the website. The translated content is provided directly and dynamically by Google; DoIT has no direct control over the translated content as it appears using this tool. Therefore, in all contexts, the English content, as directly provided by DoIT is to be held authoritative.

    Maryland Department of Health
    Newsroom

    ​​

    ​MDH_Release_Header_2021.png

    September 10, 2021

    Media Contact:

    Deidre McCabe, Director, Office of Communications, 410-767-3536

    Charles Gischlar, Deputy Director, Office of Communications, 410-767-6491

     

    Maryland Department of Health launches Suicide Prevention Toolkit

    MDH highlights Suicide Prevention Awareness Month with new resources and reminders for people with thoughts of suicide

     

    Baltimore, MD – The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) today announced the launch of a new resource to raise awareness about suicide for Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. The 2021 Suicide Prevention Month Toolkit: Stories of Hope focuses on raising awareness, reducing the stigma around suicide, spreading hope, building resiliency and encouraging well-informed action.

    Aliya Jones intro video.jpg 

    “The COVID-19 pandemic has been a collectively trying time for everyone, particularly people experiencing mental health or substance use problems, possibly combined with grief and loss, and other life uncertainties," said MDH Secretary Dennis R. Schrader. “Marylanders should understand it is important to talk about these issues, know how to recognize a crisis, and how to ask for help."

    The new toolkit is called Stories of Hope because the materials feature information and calls to action about sharing stories of resiliency, which can normalize conversations about suicide while creating safe spaces for people to ask for help. 

    According to the National Institute of Mental Health, suicide was the tenth leading cause of death overall in the US in 2019, claiming the lives of over 47,500 people. Preliminary national data indicates an increase in suicides among all ages since the pandemic hit, including young people. According to the CDC, in May 2020 emergency department visits for suspected suicide attempts began to increase among adolescents (aged 12 to 17), especially girls. Suspected suicide attempt visits were 50.6% higher among girls during February to March 2021, compared to the same period in 2019; visits increased 3.7% among boys. In Maryland, preliminary suicide death data from the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) shows an 18% increase in the total number of suicides within the state from 2019 to 2020.

    Because more people — including young people — may be having thoughts of suicide or struggling in the wake of losing someone to suicide, MDH's Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) developed the 2021 Suicide Prevention Awareness Month Toolkit as a way to share information with stakeholders and the public. The toolkit includes sample social media messaging, a pledge to spread culturally informed and evidence-based suicide prevention strategies, information on BHA's Stories of Hope campaign, and fact sheets on related topics, including:

    • Supporting People with Lived Experience
    • Warning Signs of Suicide
    • Risk Factors of Suicide
    • Health Risk Factors of Suicide
    • Protective Factors of Suicide
    • Groups at Elevated Risk of Suicide
    • R.A.C.E. for Suicide Prevention
    • Lethal Means Safety
       

      During the first two quarters of 2021, there was a sharp rise in the percentage of suicides by firearms in Maryland, up from 43% to 51% during the same time period in 2020, according to OCME. Maryland's growth in firearm sales is surpassed in only six other states. According to behavioral health officials, the overwhelming demand for guns in Maryland may lead to increased deaths by suicide, in addition to increased incidences of gun violence.

      “Suicides are avoidable tragedies that we work tirelessly to prevent," said Dr. Aliya Jones, BHA Deputy Secretary. “Though the long-term effects of COVID cannot yet be fully understood, the pandemic has not hindered our efforts. We continue to develop new resources and remind Marylanders of the services that already exist to support them."

      From the beginning of the pandemic, BHA has been reaching vulnerable populations through telehealth, working with behavioral health providers to identify gaps in service, and spreading awareness on suicide prevention and recovery efforts. BHA leaders developed a Student and Young Adult Resource Guide for Coping during COVID-19 with information and resources for young Marylanders. BHA also supports Maryland Essentials for Childhood's efforts to disseminate statewide a collection of trauma responsive materials and resources for parents of young children. Additionally, BHA's Office of Suicide Prevention has been sharing the toolkit with local jurisdictions and encouraging them to use the hashtag #StoriesofHope.

      BHA is also raising suicide prevention awareness by: