Lamont McClure, the Northampton County Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Suicide Prevention Task Force are pleased to report that death-by-suicides in Northampton County fell to forty in 2019. The Northampton County Coroner reported fifty-three deaths-by- suicide in 2018, and fifty-one in 2017.

“Since its formation, the Task Force’s goal has been to reduce death-by-suicide in Northampton County by 20%,” says DHS Director Susan Wandalowski. “There are many factors that affect the suicide rate, and this is only one year’s results, but we find the decrease very encouraging.”

“Over the past two decades, death-by-suicide has increased 31 – 37% in Pennsylvania,” says Lamont McClure. “We formed this task force to address one of the leading causes of death in America, deaths, I believe, that are caused by depression. It’s heartening to see evidence that some of our efforts to prevent suicide may be working.”

The Suicide Prevention Task Force was formed in 2018 to develop and implement strategies to reduce the risk of suicide and stigma of mental illness. Its sixty-five participants include representatives from school districts, faith-based communities, NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), three hospital networks, Lehigh University, the Bethlehem Health Bureau and community advocates as well as DHS and the Northampton County Coroner’s office.

The Task Force has partnered with NAMI to create a training program for first responders, partnered with the Center for Humanistic Change to create suicide prevention videos, published brochures for families who have lost someone to suicide and arranged QPR training seminars.

Information provided to TVL by:
Becky Bartlett
Deputy Director of Administration
Northampton County Government Center
669 Washington Street
Easton, PA 18042
https://www.northamptoncounty.org/

 

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