Mental Health Trends

Sadly physical suicide attempts and hospital admissions for psychiatric care for those we serve have been rising in Summit County.

January through August 2021, we investigated approximately 13 Attempted Suicide MUIs. Sadly, we also had one death occur due to Suicide in 2021. In comparison, we had 24 total Attempted Suicide MUIs in all of 2020.

It’s important to note that Attempted Suicide MUIs however do not capture all the attempts or suicidal comments made by those we serve. In the first half of 2021, Summit County had 20 other MUIs (to include Unanticipated Hospitalizations) that involved suicidal comments or attempts of self-harm. Suicidal ideation is the main cause of all psych admits in Summit County. The major cause and contributing factors to these incidents were mental health diagnoses, elevated state of aggression towards themselves or others, and power struggles with staff or family. It was also common to find that frequent talk of suicide in this group preceded actual attempts.

Warning Signs

The US Department of Health & Human Services lists a number of warning signs that someone may be at risk of suicide:

• • Talking about wanting to die or to kill oneself
  • Talking about feelings of hopelessness or having no reason to live
  • Talking about being a burden to others or feeling trapped
  • Extreme mood swings
  • Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge

Support Strategies

Summit County Alcohol, Drug Addiction, & Mental Health Board recommends the following suicide prevention strategies:

• • Take all talk of suicide seriously! The local suicide crisis number is 330-434-9144 and the national number is 1-800-273-8255
  • Talk to the person you are concerned about. Ask them directly if they have been thinking about suicide. If they answer yes, ask them questions about how long they have felt this way; ask them if they have a plan; & ask them if they see any other solutions. Mental health is an emergency. Call 911 if the person sees no other solutions.
  • Reassure the person that they can be helped. Talk with them about what hurts so badly. Stay with them until help arrives
  • Involve others in helping. This could be friends, clergy, doctors/counselors, or members of the person’s support team
  • Counseling services. Reach out to a reputable organization to find out about counseling sessions

Additional Resources

Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board: Please visit the ADM Board’s website for additional resources.

Summit DD: We can help. Summit DD can also be a resource to help with mental health needs. If you serve someone who is beginning to show signs of mental health struggles, Summit DD’s Support Workforce Analysis Team (SWAT) may be able to help.

SWAT has connections to Summit County mental health providers, behavioral support consultants, and area hospitals to help bring additional local resources to the team. If you are interested in obtaining a SWAT consult for someone you serve, please ask the assigned SSA to make a referral to SWAT on the individual’s behalf. See our online SSA Directory for contact information.

Crisis Hotline: If someone you serve is currently in crisis, please call the local crisis line at 330-434-9144 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.