During these cold and bleak months, when many are struggling with their mental health and looking forward to brighter, warmer days, it is encouraging to learn recent numbers from the Ohio Department of Health show there was a small DECREASE in the number of deaths by suicide in the Buckeye State in 2023. The more than 1,700 people who took their own lives were a 1% reduction in 2023 from the previous year.

According to a report by the Ohio Capital Journal, the decrease was the first in three years.

“Every death by suicide is a tragedy that deeply affects so many,” ODH Director Bruce Vanderhoff told the Capital Journal. “This is a sobering fact, and it is why, even though we take some encouragement from this slight decline, we are committed to continuing to work hard to drive those numbers down further.”

Gov. Mike DeWine is correct when he notes that, if anything, the progress should “inspire us to further advance our commitment to this life-saving work, because the life of every Ohioan is precious.”

That work includes improvements in suicide prevention and mental health access efforts. In July 2022, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline launched, and call centers have since responded to 440,000 calls, chats and texts. Awareness is growing, too.

“Every single Ohioan plays a role in reducing suicides,” LeeAnne Cornyn, director of the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, told the Capital Journal. “And that’s why we have also worked to equip thousands and thousands of Ohioans with the skills that they need to recognize mental illness or substance use disorder and have the skills that they need to talk to their peers, to talk to their family members and help connect them to care.”

Learn what you can, be vigilant, spread the word about the 988 Lifeline and other resources for those who need support. One percent may not seem like a big difference, but it is enormous. It is nearly 20 lives.

Those 20 lives (and more) must be our motivation not to let up on continued efforts to prevent suicide and improve access to mental health care.