Heitkamp Hosts Summit to Stop Suicide, Gathers Over 100 Statewide Leaders to Address Increasing ND Suicide Rate and Help Keep ND Communities Strong & Safe

U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp Monday hosted her Summit to Stop Suicide, which brought together over 100 North Dakota community leaders, educators, law enforcement officers, farmers, veterans, advocates, health care professionals, and youth from across the state to discuss how to improve North Dakota’s efforts to prevent deaths by suicide.

Over the past several years, North Dakota and rural America have experienced a sharp increase in suicides. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rate of death by suicide jumped by 58 percent in North Dakota between 1999 and 2016— the largest statewide increase in the country. Currently, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in North Dakota across all ages, and the 2nd leading cause of death for youth.

Heitkamp’s summit featured panel discussions with national mental health experts, including leaders from the National Institute of Mental Health and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. After discussions on how to best tackle this public health emergency, Heitkamp facilitated comprehensive breakout sessions between experts and community leaders on the key topics of prevention, community engagement, survivor support, and preventing suicide for both youth and adults. 

“Deaths by suicide have dramatically increased in towns, reservations, and farmsteads across our state—and that’s why it’s so important for local leaders to reexamine North Dakota’s response to this growing public health threat, “said Heitkamp. “My Summit to Stop Suicide is a way to redouble our commitment to combating this crisis, and today I heard from health care workers, educators, advocates, law enforcement, and youth about new ideas and strategies that could prevent more loved ones from being lost to suicide. I’m so proud of the nationally-recognized activities of our North Dakota advocates to provide survivor support, raise awareness, and educate our neighbors about suicide. But we need to understand that prevention can’t just be left to those who specialize in mental health. I’m encouraging North Dakotans to pool their skills and resources to address this enormous challenge with a community-wide approach, and I’ll keep fighting in the U.S. Senate to decrease the stigma surrounding mental illness and focus resources in areas that desperately need them. The ongoing mental health crisis in rural America is nothing short of an epidemic, and we must stop it soon if we’re going to keep North Dakota communities and families strong and safe.”