The City of West Hollywood recognizes National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month in September.

Since 2008, September has been recognized as National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month as an occasion to acknowledge those affected by suicide, to raise awareness, and to connect individuals experiencing thoughts of suicide to treatment services. Recognizing the month provides an opportunity for the City of West Hollywood to memorialize lives lost to suicide and to educate residents and community members about available suicide prevention resources, including the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Moreover, the month is used to shift public perception, erase stigma, spread hope, and share vital information to people affected by suicide. Suicidal thoughts, much like mental health conditions, can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, or background.

Community members experiencing a behavioral health crisis are encouraged to call 988 to get support from the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. In the Los Angeles region, the 988 Call Center operator is Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services. Calling 988 connects the community member to a trained counselor who will assess the mental health crisis and provide community resources, including the West Hollywood Care Team, when appropriate.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide deeply affects everyone regardless of demographics. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among children aged 10 to 14, and the third leading cause of death among people aged 15 to 24. Despite more women attempting suicide compared to men, men are four times more likely to die by suicide and make up 79% of all suicide deaths. The highest rates of suicide in the U.S. are among American Indian/Alaskan Native people followed by non-Hispanic White people. LGBTQ+ youth are nearly four times more likely to attempt suicide compared to heterosexual youth. Also, transgender adults are almost nine times more likely to attempt suicide than the general population. In 2021, 1.7 million adults attempted suicide and 48,183 people died as a result. Of those who died, it is estimated that more than 90% of them dealt with symptoms of a mental health condition. As this is such a critical and pervasive issue throughout the entire United States, it is crucial for the City of West Hollywood to continue its work in addressing and preventing suicide.

For more information, please contact the City of West Hollywood’s Human Services Division at (323) 848-6510. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.

For up-to-date information about City of West Hollywood news and events, follow @wehocity on social media, sign-up for news updates at www.weho.org/email, and visit the City’s calendar of meetings and events at www.weho.org/calendar. West Hollywood City Hall is open for walk-in services at public counters or by appointment by visiting www.weho.org/appointments. City Hall services are accessible by phone at (323) 848-6400 and via website at www.weho.org. Receive text updates by texting “WeHo” to (323) 848-5000.

For reporters and members of the media seeking additional information about the City of West Hollywood, please contact the City of West Hollywood’s Public Information Officer, Sheri A. Lunn, at (323) 848-6391 or slunn@weho.org.