SALEM, Ore. — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released data in February that shows suicide was the leading cause of death among Oregon youth ages 10 to 24 in 2018, up from the second leading cause of death in 2017. Oregon is now ranked 11th highest in the nation for youth suicide death rates (up from 17th in 2017).
The ranking change is attributed to several factors: the report shows there was a rise in the suicide rate as well as a drop in the rate of unintentional injury deaths, the former leading cause. The unintentional injury category includes overdose deaths and motor vehicle accidents. While the suicide rate has increased, the unintentional injury rate decreased from 2017 to 2018.
Oregon Health Authority’s chief medical officer, Dana Hargunani, says that youth suicide continues to be a priority for OHA and support for young people in schools, homes and communities are prioritized in the organization.
The 2018 CDC data is included in the 2019 Youth Suicide Intervention and Prevention Plan annual report, which was released to the legislature this week.
Advocates and state agency staff have been working to address this growing issue and together requested dedicated funding for suicide prevention in 2019.
Governor Kate Brown included more than $6 million for suicide prevention in her budget for the 2019-2021 biennium. The funding is being used to fund Oregon's 24/7 Suicide Prevention Lifeline, create statewide access to proven suicide prevention programming, to address higher risk groups including LGBTQ youth, and other initiatives.
