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Suicide Prevention Team

Need Support Now?

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat online at 988lifeline.org.

988 is available in American Sign Language online.

Personas que hablan español ahora pueden conectarse directamente con consejeros para crisis de habla hispana:

  • Llamando al 988 al presionar la opción 2
  • Enviando un mensaje de texto con la palabra "AYUDA" al 988
  • Chateando en línea en 988lineadevida.org o 988Lifeline.org
    Veterans: Dial 988, Press 1
    LGBTQ+: Dial 988, Press 3

Working to Prevent Deaths From Suicide

Suicide is among the leading causes of death in Oregon. Suicide is also a major public health issue nationally. The Oregon Health Authority and partners across Oregon are working to prevent deaths from suicide.

Meet the Cross-Divisional OHA Suicide Prevention Team

The OHA Suicide Prevention Team (SPT) sits across two divisions: The Behavioral Health Division and the Public Health Division. We have a "no wrong door" approach: reach out to any state suicide prevention coordinator to ask questions and get information.

      

      Pictured left to right: Deb Darmata, Roger Brubaker, Jill Swiers Baker, Shanda Hochstetler, Meghan Crane, Taylor Chambers.


Need Local Support? Find your Number                                                                               

To update your county crisis line, contact IVPP.operations@oha.oregon.gov.

Learn about the strategic direction and active work

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) is working with partners to build out the strategic pathways in Oregon Suicide Prevention Framework. Learn more about priority work for the Youth Suicide Intervention and Prevention Plan (YSIPP):


Oregon Suicide Prevention Framework


Starting in 2014, and with additional investment in 2019, the Oregon Legislature commissioned the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) to:​​
OHA released the first 5-year Adult Suicide Intervention and Prevention Plan (ASIPP) in 2023. The plan​ covers 2023-2027​
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Oregon's Suicide Data Snapshot

Last updated: 7/24/2025

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released finalized data for 2023. This is the latest year of finalized death data available. The data show:

All Ages: 
  • In 2023, Oregon’s suicide rate saw a slight increase from 19.3 per 100,000 in 2022 to 19.4 per 100,000.  
  • In 2023, 888 Oregonians died by suicide, compared to 883 in 2022. 
  • Since 2000, Oregon has seen an overall increase in suicide rates, with a stabilizing rate since 2021 similar to the national average.
  • Oregon’s suicide rate is above the national average and has the 13th higher suicide rate in the United States. 
  • Gender and racial disparities persist. Men continue to have the highest suicide rate across all age groups, with their risk peaking at age 85 and older. Women’s suicide rates rise with age and peak between ages 55 to 59. Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native individuals have the highest rate of suicide.  
  • Veterans continue to have significantly higher rates of suicide than the general Oregon population. 
  • Preliminary data for 2024* indicate that Oregon will see an increase in adult suicide rates. 

Youth (ages 24 and younger)
  • In 2023, Oregon’s youth suicide rate decreased from 14.2 per 100,000 in 2022 to 13.5 per 100,000 in 2023. 
  • Oregon’s youth suicide rate is showing a decreased trend since a peak in 2018.
  • In 2023, 102 Oregon youths died by suicide, compared to 109 in 2022. 
  • Suicide remains the second-leading cause of death among people ages five to 24.
  • There continue to be racial disparities in the data. Specifically, deaths by suicide for youth identified as white have decreased overall since 2018. However, the number of suicides for youth of other races and ethnicities remained similar to 2018 levels or increased.
  • The national rate for youth suicide remained stable between 2022 and 2023. The 2023 data show that Oregon had the 11th highest youth suicide rate (tied with another state) in the United States.
  • Oregon’s suicide rate remains above the national average. 
  • Preliminary data for 2024* indicate that Oregon will not see an increase in youth suicide rates.

Even one death by suicide is one too many. There is more work to do as the risk of suicide continues to be a concern in Oregon.

Learn more about OHA and IVPP Data Sources by reviewing the OHA Injury and Violence Prevention Program Data Glossary and Dashboard Overview.

* Note: 2024 data are preliminary and may change as data is finalized. Finalized data is anticipated in late spring 2026.  ​


IVPP managed Data Dashboards

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Injury Prevention Data Dashboard - Includes death, hospital, and emergency room discharge data for 11 injury categories.
Violent Death Data Dashboard - Includes firearm, suicide, and homicide data.
Suicide-Related Public Health Data Dashboard – Monthly updates on suicide-related fatalities and emergency department visits.
FASTER Dashboard - Firearm injury prevention.
 

Other OHA Data Dashboards

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Student Health Survey Data Dashboard 2022 Student Health Survey results and more information on collection
Vital Statistics Preliminary Death Data Dashboard Monthly updates on preliminary deaths by type of death count and county
 

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​Sign up for the following email listservs to get up to date information on latest happenings and offerings:

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​Black Youth Suicide Policy Coalition​​​​


Youth suicide rates have decreased in Oregon since 2018, but only for white Non-Hispanic youth. In every other race/ethnicity category, the number of suicides have stayed steady or increased.  The Black Youth Suicide Prevention Coalition (BYSPC) is a team of 12 young people, supported by adults and a part time staff person housed at REAP who are working on creating safety and wellness for Black, African, and African-American youth in Oregon.

The idea for the coalition was formed in 2023 at the country’s first-ever Black Youth Suicide Policy Academy, held by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).​ 

To get involved, or to hear more about the work of the Black Youth Suicide Prevention Coalition, contact byspc@reapusa.org​.

The Oregon Alliance to Prevent Suicide

The purpose of the Oregon Alliance to Prevent Suicide is to reduce youth suicides in the state of Oregon. The Oregon Hea​​lth Authority​ appoints Alliance members, who meet quarterly to:​
  • ​Develop a public policy agenda for suicide interven​tion and prevention across agencies, systems and communities.
  • Advise on the development of the Youth Suicide ​Intervention and Prevention Plan (YSIPP).
  • Represent a broad range of subject matter experts including youth, suicide attempt survivors and loss survivors.
Staffed by the Association of Oregon Community Mental Health Programs, the Alliance also has six standing committees and two advisory workgroups:
  • LGBTQ+ Advisory Group
  • Equity Advisory Workgroup
    • The Equity Advisory has two sub-groups that meet outside of the larger Advisory Group: the BIPOC Caucus and the White Accountability and Learning Community (WALC). This advisory and the two sub-groups are geared for Alliance members and affiliates.
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​​​​Learn more about and join an upcoming meeting of the Statewide Coalition – the Oregon Alliance to Prevent Suicide or Find your local coalition.​



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​OHA supports the Big River Trainings suite of programming (Programs available in English and Spanish)​

(for meeting Requirements of ORS 675.140, 675.597, 675.805, 676.860, & 676.863)​




​Portland Area Trainings hosted by Get Trained to Help​ – a Collaborative training effort brought to you by Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington Counties.


Senate Bill 561 (2015) requires Local Mental Health Authorities (LMHAs) as defined in ORS 430.630 to do the following when suicides occur in youth (age 24 years or younger):​

Work with partners to develop plans for information-sharing and response;​

Prepare communities to respond in a way that reduces the risk of more suicide (contagion) among friends, loved ones or peers left behind after the death; and ​

Report deaths to OHA within 7 days of death. OHA can  then provide technical assistance on best practices in responding to suicides and reducing contagion risks.

Resources


​OHA PHD IVPP Managed Grants​


  • SAMHSA Garrett Lee Smith (Sept. 30, 2024- Sept. 29, 2029)​​
  • SAMHSA Zero Suicide in Health Systems (2021 – 2025)​
  • CDC Comprehensive Suicide Prevention Grant (Sept. 15, 2023 – Sept. 14, 2028)

OHA BHD CFBH Managed Grants​

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  • SAMHSA Mental Health Expansion Block Grant​
  • National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, Transformative Transfer Initiative (TTI) Grant​





For a brief history and summary of suicide prevention laws in Oregon, please visit the Oregon Alliance to Prevent Suicide’s legislative summary page.​​