Marblehead Center Highlights Suicide Prevention Resources During Awareness Month

MARBLEHEAD, MA — As National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month begins, Marblehead Counseling Center is urging residents to learn warning signs early and connect people with available support before a mental health crisis develops.

"Suicide prevention actually starts before a mental health crisis," Gregg Mulford, LMHC clinical director at the center, said in a statement. "This is a great time to learn about warning signs, and connect people to vital mental health resources."

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Mulford said suicide risk can be tied to underlying mental health conditions such as depression, but also to other forms of injury and violence, including child abuse, bullying and sexual violence.

The center pointed to recent national figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showing 48,824 suicide deaths in 2024. It is estimated that 14.3 million adults seriously thought about suicide in 2024, 4.6 million planned a suicide attempt, and 2.2 million attempted suicide.

Suicide deaths in the United States consistently outnumber homicide deaths, according to the data.

Mulford said communities can also strengthen protective factors that may lower suicide risk. Those include connection to family and community, access to health care and mental health professionals, and support from organizations such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

"We have a lot of tools to fight this crisis," Mulford said.

Major risk factors include prior suicide attempts, misuse of alcohol or other drugs, depression and other mood disorders, access to lethal means, social isolation, chronic disease and disability, and lack of access to behavioral health care.

Protective factors including connectedness, coping and problem-solving skills, self-esteem, a sense of purpose, beliefs that discourage suicide, and effective behavioral health care.

"We are so lucky to have access to quality mental health programs in our community," Mulford said, referring to the 2025 State of Mental Health in America report by Mental Health America, which ranked Massachusetts sixth overall for access to care and fourth for youth. "MCC has been providing mental health services for almost six decades.

"But we are certainly not alone. Mental health and wellness is taken very seriously in Massachusetts."

Residents looking to take part in awareness efforts can mark World Suicide Prevention Day on Sept. 10, when the International Association for Suicide Prevention encourages people to place a lit candle near a window at 8 p.m. local time.

The North Shore Out of the Darkness Walk is scheduled for Oct. 4 in Newburyport.

Anyone in crisis can call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.