Suicide Prevention Council Shares Latest Statistics, Calls for Increased Prevention Efforts
(Crystal A. Proxmire, Sept. 19, 2026)
Michigan – With 1,443 Michigan residents dying by suicide in 2024, a new state report is calling for sustained funding and expanded suicide-prevention training to help reduce deaths.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services released the Michigan Suicide Prevention Council Report earlier this month.
Suicide was the second-leading cause of death among Michigan residents ages 10 to 34 in 2024, according to MDHHS.
In Oakland County, 150 residents died by suicide in 2024, according to MDHHS vital statistics. The county’s age-adjusted suicide death rate was 10.1 per 100,000 residents.
That compares with 160 Oakland County suicide deaths in 2023, 151 in 2022, 156 in 2021 and 155 in 2020.
Of the 150 Oakland County residents who died by suicide in 2024, 12 were under age 25, 124 were between ages 25 and 74, and 14 were age 75 or older.
Looking across a longer period, Oakland County averaged about 154 suicide deaths annually from 2020 through 2024.
These deaths are most common among people ages 40 to 59. Males are more affected than females across age groups, and firearms remain the most common method of suicide in the county.
The Michigan Suicide Prevention Council brings together representatives from public health, health care, behavioral health, education, tribal communities, law enforcement, veteran services, community organizations and other groups.
The council was created to coordinate statewide prevention efforts and help implement the Michigan Suicide Prevention Plan for 2024-2027.
Among the council’s central recommendations is establishing sustained state funding for Michigan’s suicide-prevention infrastructure.
The recommendation comes as the state has provided $125,000 in the Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget to establish and support the council. The budget directs the council to coordinate statewide suicide-prevention efforts, engage stakeholders, develop educational materials and advise MDHHS about policy and funding priorities.
Another major focus is professional education and licensing.
The council recommends aligning state policies and professional licensure requirements with suicide-prevention education. That includes requiring prevention training for certain professions and connecting licensing requirements to core competencies such as recognizing suicide risk and using evidence-based screening and assessment practices.
The approach reflects work that has been developing in Michigan for several years. Previous state suicide-prevention efforts included work on suicide-prevention competencies for professionals and efforts to incorporate those skills into educational and professional systems.
Michigan’s previous Suicide Prevention Commission, which had been established in 2020, sunset in December 2024. The newly established Suicide Prevention Council is intended to continue statewide coordination while supporting implementation of the state’s current suicide-prevention plan.
State officials say the work requires participation across multiple systems rather than relying exclusively on mental-health providers.
“Every life lost to suicide is one too many, and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is committed to helping create safer, healthier and more connected communities,” Acting MDHHS Director Amy Epkey said in announcing the report.
The recommendations also come as Michigan continues operating several suicide-prevention initiatives. These include programs focused on youth and young adults, and on reducing suicide among Michigan men, along with statewide efforts to improve data, prevention practices and access to crisis services.
The state’s broader suicide-prevention strategy emphasizes prevention before a person reaches a crisis, including creating supportive environments, increasing social connectedness, identifying people at risk, and improving access to effective care.
Oakland County also has a Suicide Prevention Task Force that connects organizations and individuals working on prevention throughout the county.
September is Suicide Prevention Month in Michigan.
People experiencing a mental-health or suicide crisis, or those concerned about someone else, can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
