Background
Starting September 29, 2017, the Curry Coastal Pilot began listing suicidal and mental subjects reported to them by the Brookings, Gold Beach and Port Orford Police Departments and the Curry County Sheriff's Department.
(1) Data reported in the last three months of 2017 compared to the same period in 2018 reflect a significant reduction.
(2) There was a significant reduction in reports in the last quarter of 2018 versus any of the first three quarters of 2018.
(3) According to published newspaper log reports, there were 2 suicides handled by Law Enforcement in 2017 (10/1 and 11/20). There were zero in 2018.
(4) The final number of suicides in Curry County for 2018 show a drop from a high of 14 in 2017 to 5, the lowest number since 2011. Source.
What might this say?
Suicides and attempts significantly dropped off in 2018. What might this be attributed to?
1. Was there a change in reporting procedures to the newspaper by the Sheriffs Department or the Brookings, Gold Beach and/or Port Orford reporting of
"Suicidal-Subjects" or "Mental-Subjects"?
2. Was there a change in the Pilot's reporting of Mental or Suicidal subjects, especially in the last quarter of 2018?
a. The Crisis Task Force increased involvement in intervention?
b. Increase investment in mental health practitioners and their training in public schools, the health care system (CCH, CHN, DHA, ER, Emergency Response, fire and police and independent mental health professionals).
c. The increased use of peer support and people with lived experience?
d. CCH increased attention to intervention protocol to determine risk of each patient seen at each appointment?
e. CHN increased attention to intervention protocol to determine risk of each individual seen by the ER and at each appointment?
f. The increased emphasis on follow-up calls to people seen in the ER, or other situation that indicated a potential suicidal situation?
g. Increased prevention activities in the county? Be specific on what and why you think that was a contributing factor using evidence based analysis.
h. Increased awareness of and preventative action taken on suspected suicidal attempts by opioid overdoes?
i. Any other potential reasons (be specific)
3. What areas should receive added emphasis in 2020?
4. Any related topics that might be valuable to consider.
I would be most interested in your individual response to the above.
Yours in service,