In any given day, three people in Tennessee die by suicide. As of 2015, suicide is the third-leading cause of death for young people (ages 10-19) in Tennessee, with one person in this age group lost to suicide every week. We lose one person between the ages of 10-24 every four days, and every day we lose at least one person over the age of 45, with adults in midlife and older adults remaining at higher risk.

The latest edition of the Status of Suicide in Tennessee report, published annually by the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network (TSPN), addresses the problem of suicide in our state. It also highlights major innovations within the Network's outreach and awareness efforts during the past year.

In 2015, the latest year for which state-specific figures are available, both the raw number of suicide deaths and the rate per 100,000 had surpassed the highest number noted the previous year. There were 1,065 recorded suicide deaths, at a rate of 15.6 per 100,000 people. This figure represents an 11 percent increase in the suicide rate from 2014, with 945 suicide deaths and a rate of 14.0 per 100,000.

Additionally, suicide is the third-leading cause of death for young people (ages 10-19) in Tennessee. In 2015, there were 54 deaths among persons in this age group in Tennessee, at a rate of 6.4 per 100,000. This figure maintains a 64 percent increase in the suicide rate among this age group over the last five years (in 2011, there were 33 deaths at a rate of 3.9 per 100,000).

Suicide is extremely tough on surviving family members. Shannon Huffman, Crisis and Information Services Associate Director with Family and Children's Service, told WGNS about a support group for survivors...

The number is 615-244-7444.

Over the course of the lifespan, white males in Tennessee experience suicide rates several times higher than any other race-sex subgroup, and this distinction is especially pronounced in middle-aged and older adults. Attention is also given to the nature of non-fatal versus fatal attempts and common suicide methods--almost two-thirds of all suicides in Tennessee involve a firearm.

"Going forward, we have our work cut out for us," explains Scott Ridgway, MS, TSPN's Executive Director. "Tennessee's suicide rate and raw number of deaths rose sharply in 2015, and recent statistics indicate a growing problem with suicide among adolescents and preteens. There are only two things that give us solace in the face of these developments: that without our dedicated involvement, even more people would have been lost; and that we have the staff, volunteers, resources, and strategy to turn back the tide."

"If we're really going to address the issue of suicide in Tennessee, we'll need additional funding devoted to suicide prevention efforts," Ridgway said.

The Status of Suicide in Tennessee report has been published annually since 2012. The latest edition, along with past versions, is available online via the TSPN website (www.tspn.org/sost).