Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation Hosts Listening Session as Part of Statewide Black Suicide Prevention

ZANESVILLE, Oh – The Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation hosted a listening session in Zanesville this afternoon.

Community members and leaders gathered at the Bryan Place this afternoon to discuss suicide prevention among black communities statewide and throughout the area.

According to the CDC, the black population has seen a nearly 6 percent uptick in suicides between 2019 and 2022.

To learn about factors contributing to these alarming statistics, OSPF is hosting the series of sessions, including todays to gain insight directly from those impacted most.

“We’re trying to find out what are those reasons. You know, is it racial? We know that a lot of inequities, as far as health are happening not only here in Ohio, but across the nation.

What can we do working together as a community? As Zanesville, what can Zanesville do together to address the massive increase in suicides among the black community? And then put our resources, put our efforts, put our energies towards fixing this issue,” Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation Executive Director Tony Coder explained.

The two-hour conversation had a presentation, along with speakers, including a local 16-year old student who spoke on his experiences and provided insight on the ongoing crisis among those in the black community.

Mental Health and Recovery Services Executive Director Misty Cromwell says the conversations are critical in addressing factors contributing to minority suicides to ensure the resources are open and available to all.

“It is, I think important for us to be able to find effective interventions and begin to have open conversations around the impact that race, culture, lack of resources has on the wellness has of our young people and families that live in our communities,” Cromwell told us.

OSPF already hosted sessions in Akron and Cleveland, with two more planned in Cincinnati and Columbus early next year.

For more information and resources visit: https://www.withyouhere.org or https://www.ohiospf.org. Resources can also be found at https://www.mhrs.org.

And if you or someone you know is in crisis or considering suicide, please call the National Suicide and Crisis Hotline at 988 for free and confidential support.