Suicide is a devastating problem that has major emotional consequences for the family and friends of people who die by suicide, and physical and psychological consequences for those who survive suicide attempts. Death by suicide is one of the top ten leading causes of death for people ages 5-64 in North Carolina. Each year more than 1,000 North Carolinians die from suicide, more than 6,000 people are hospitalized due to self-inflicted injuries and more than 8,000 are treated in emergency departments.
This report summarizes the findings of the NCIOM’s Task Force on Suicide Prevention and Intervention and the task force’s recommendations to enhance the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services’ (DMHDDSAS) statewide suicide prevention and response system.