New Office of Suicide Prevention expands mental health services in San Bernardino County

The Board of Supervisors is taking action to boldly and compassionately address San Bernardino County’s share of the national suicide epidemic and recently approved the creation of an Office of Suicide Prevention as part of the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Three-Year Integrated Plan.

In an expansion of the Department of Behavioral Health’s (DBH) prevention and early intervention efforts, this office will focus on education about suicide prevention with a message of hope and resources.

“Suicide is a tragedy beyond comprehension and no family is immune from the devastation it brings,” said Third District Supervisor and Board Chair Dawn Rowe. “More can be done to save these lives, which is why the Board of Supervisors is bringing this resource to our county community.”

“This is an example of what Board of Supervisors and the cities in this county intended when we adopted the Countywide Vision,” said First District Supervisor and Board Vice Chairman Col. Paul Cook (Ret.). “We set out to create a county where residents can prosper and achieve well-being, and there is no better way to reach that goal than by creating unique and innovative resources like the San Bernardino County Office of Suicide Prevention to address real problems in our communities.”

To ensure the public is aware of the new Office of Suicide Prevention, DBH will launch a countywide campaign called “Promote Hope. Let’s Talk.”

Suicide is real and prevalent in San Bernardino County and in the nation. In 2021, the U.S. had one death by suicide approximately every 11 minutes. For people aged 10-14 and 24-25 years, suicide was the second-leading cause of death.

“Every life is valued and should be supported, and with the creation of the Office of Suicide Prevention we will not only spread awareness on this mental health epidemic but effectively save the lives of those who are struggling. Enough lives have been lost from those struggling to get by day-to-day and it is our responsibility to assist those who are struggling to overcome their personal battles,” said Second District Supervisor Jesse Armendarez.

DBH will announce the campaign in conjunction with the statewide observance of National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month in September. DBH staff will facilitate community trainings around suicide awareness and suicide intervention. On the Office of Suicide Prevention website, the community can find educational resources to equip themselves with preventative information by visiting sbcounty.gov/dbh/osp.

“It is so important for the health of our community that people across the county become knowledgeable about the services available and how to get help,” said Fourth District Supervisor Curt Hagman. “There is assistance available if you or a loved one are struggling with mental health.”

The Community Crisis Response Team (CCRT) is a community-based mobile crisis response team for children and adults experiencing a psychiatric emergency. CCRT is available in English and Spanish from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily by calling (800) 398-0018 or by texting (909) 420-0560. For more information on mental health and substance use disorder services in San Bernardino County, call (888) 743-1478, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

“Know that you are not alone and there is hope,” said Fifth District Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr. “With support from the Board of Supervisors, the County and its team of professionals are here and available for anyone struggling to overcome suicidal crisis or mental-health-related distress.”

Additional County Update News – August 4, 2023