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Franklin County Highlights Suicide Prevention

Commissioners

September 14, 2023

A group of people stands indoors; one person holds a certificate. A table with nameplates and a screen is in the foreground. Flags are visible in the background.
The Franklin County Commissioners proclaimed September 2023 to be Suicide Prevention Month and Sept. 10, 2023, to be Suicide Prevention Day in Franklin County during the board’s Sept. 13 public meeting. Commissioner Chairman Dave Keller and Commissioner John Flannery presented a proclamation to members of the Franklin/Fulton County Mental Health Program as well as the county’s Crisis Intervention Team.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. – The Franklin County Commissioners have proclaimed September to be Suicide Prevention Month and Sept. 10, 2023, to be Suicide Prevention Day in Franklin County.

In Pennsylvania, one person dies by suicide nearly every five hours, making suicide the commonwealth’s third leading cause of death for individuals ages 15-34 and the fourth leading cause of death for those ages 35-54. Franklin County has lost approximately 400 lives to suicide since 1995, including 17 in 2022.

Nationally, the statistics are even more troubling. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide was responsible for more than 48,000 U.S. deaths in 2021, or one person every 11 minutes. Sadly, over 5.4 million Americans have lost a loved one to suicide.

“Each member of our community is valued and irreplaceable, and one life lost to suicide is one too many,” said Franklin County Commissioner Chairman Dave Keller. “No one should ever feel alone. Support and resources are always available to those in need.”

By recognizing Suicide Prevention Month and Suicide Prevention Day in Franklin County, the commissioners are encouraging residents to be open and honest about the stresses and factors that contribute to harmful thoughts and to seek help to address their mental health needs and ultimately prevent suicides.

Information on local resources is available by contacting the Franklin/Fulton Mental Health Program at 717-264-5387 or by calling 211. If you or someone you know is in crisis or in need of immediate attention, call or text the National Suicide Lifeline at 988.