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Result 1: Improved Health Status for New Mexicans

P003: Suicide rate per 100,000 population

Current Value

23.2 per 100,000

2017

Definition

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Story Behind the Curve

  • The suicide rate in New Mexico was at least 50% higher than the U.S. rate. Over the past decade, suicides increased in New Mexico by 33% compared to U.S. at 21%. 
  • In 2015, suicide was the 2nd leading cause of death for persons 10-49 years.  Whites and American Indians had the highest rates of suicide in New Mexico.  The suicide rate for males was more than three times that of females. Rural counties had higher suicide rates compared to metropolitan counties.  Just over half of those who died by suicide from 2011-2015 in New Mexico used a firearm. 
  • In 2016 the number of suicides in New Mexico dropped to 469 from 498 in 2015. The 2016 rate of 22.2 per 100,000 residents is a 6% decrease from the 2015 rate of 23.5 per 100,000. 
  • In FY17, the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) focused on suicide gatekeeper & postvention trainings to community members and school personnel.  Media guidelines for safe reporting and messaging about suicide have been incorporated in NMDOH published material. 
  • The Epidemiology and Response Division’s Injury and Behavioral Epidemiology Bureau (IBEB) will provide county-specific data presentations on suicidal behaviors to at-risk communities.
  • IBEB is developing a process for identifying and intervening in suicide attempt clusters using syndromic surveillance of emergency department admissions for self-inflicted injury which will enable IBEB to direct prevention efforts.

Partners

  • NMDOH 
  • State government agencies and offices 
  • National Alliance on Mental Illness New Mexico  
  • New Mexico Crisis and Action Line
  • Southern New Mexico Suicide Prevention & Survivors Support Coalition 
  • New Mexico Injury Prevention Coalition 
  • University of New Mexico
  • Agora Crisis Center 
  • Health Councils
  • Crisis Response of Santa Fe 
  • School districts
  • Behavioral Health Collaboratives
  • Tribal councils   

What Works

  • Community Interventions 
    • Gatekeeper Training 
    • Crisis Intervention (National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) 
    • Reducing access to lethal means among persons at risk of suicide  
    • Parenting skill and family relationship programs  
    • Community engagement activities
    • Postvention
    • Safe reporting/messaging about suicide (Media guidelines) 
  • Clinical Interventions 
    • Treatment for people at risk of suicide 
    • Treatment to prevent re-attempts (Emergency Department Brief intervention with Follow-up Visits) 
  • School-based Interventions 
    • Peer norm programs  
    • Social-emotional learning programs  
  • Organizational Interventions 
    • Safer suicide care through systems change  
    • Organizational policies and culture 
  • Policy Interventions 
    • Strengthening household financial security  
    • Housing stabilization policies  
    • Coverage of mental health conditions in insurance policies  
    • Reducing provider shortages in underserved areas 
    • Community-based policies to reduce excessive alcohol use

Strategy

  • Gatekeeper training to identify and support people at risk.
  • Community engagement activities (via county-based data presentations).
  • Safe reporting and messaging about suicide to lessen harms and prevent future risk.
  • Suicide attempt cluster investigation.

FY18 Annual Progress Summary

In FY18, the New Mexico Department of Health Epidemiology and Response Division’s suicide prevention program (SPP) ended FY18 on a strong note and has established strategic partnerships to be more effective in the number of trainings for New Mexicans.  For FY19, the SPP is committed to providing as many trainings as possible with an effective collaboration and dedicated workforce.

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