Report Finds Only A Dozen States Have Laws Establishing Suicide Prevention Offices, Coordinators

Stateline (7/29, Hassanein) says that a new report found that “only a dozen states have laws establishing suicide prevention offices or coordinators, and just 11 have task forces or committees dedicated to suicide prevention efforts.” The report, conducted by the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials with support from the CDC, “comes amid sweeping cuts at federal agencies that offer mental health support,” such as the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). It notes that “about 60% of states – 29 states and Washington, D.C. – have laws that establish some form of fatality review committees that specifically include suicide deaths in reviews. Areas of focus varied among the states. Some had statewide teams and others were on the local level, according to the report.”

Related Links:

— “State suicide prevention efforts are lacking amid federal cuts,” Nada Hassanein, Stateline, July 29, 2025

Posted in In The News.