Assemblywoman Woerner Hosts Suicide Prevention Listening Session

SARATOGA COUNTY — Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, D-Round Lake, gathered area thought leaders from schools, churches, higher education, hospitals, veterans’ organizations and non-profits as well as state and county offices last week during a two-hour listening session to share information about suicide prevention. 

“After learning that the rate of suicide in rural communities is rising significantly and knowing my district is primarily made up of rural communities, I decided to hold a meeting with local mental health experts to begin a dialogue around this growing problem,” Woerner said in a statement. “In order to gain a better understanding of any situation, I think it’s best to listen to a variety of perspectives. Suicide prevention is very complicated and multi-faceted. One big take away from this meeting- we need to meet again…at our next meeting, we’ll take the conversation to the next level.”

Statistics shared: 54% of firearm deaths are from suicide; Suicide is the third leading cause of death in ages 10-24; More females attempt suicide than males, but males use more lethal means. 

In Saratoga County, 3 out of 4 suicides are male and the male dominated industries, such as constructions, corrections, etc., many with access to guns, see a much higher rate of suicide. And rural communities have the highest rate of death per 100,000 people, according to statistics shared by Woerner.