More than 90 people died by suicide last year in Montgomery County, and now a new outreach program hopes to help people who’ve lost a loved one to suicide.
Montgomery County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services will hold a public information session Tuesday morning explaining its new L.O.S.S Teams program.
L.O.S.S. stands for Local Outreach for Suicide Survivors. These volunteers respond to trauma incidents, giving immediate and long-term support to people impacted when someone dies by suicide.
Each team comprises a counselor and a person who’s personally survived a suicide. They began operating in June.
"What we know is that statistically people who have lost someone to suicide are more at risk of dying by suicide or of having suicidal thoughts themselves," said Taneah Matthew, the agency’s L.O.S.S. coordinator.
In 2023, about 100 Montgomery County residents died by suicide. Last year, 92 died in this manner.
While the number of deaths dropped, Matthews said having direct access to this kind of mental health support is vital for those left behind after a suicide.
"There's a lot of guilt, sometimes shame, and a lack of closure," Matthews said. "So to be met in the immediate aftermath of a suicide loss, to hear from someone, they have found hope and healing can help that person on their journey to resilience."
The L.O.S.S. teams work with area law enforcement when dispatching to a location where officers believe a person died by suicide.
According to Matthews, overall in Ohio, suicide is the 12th cause of death. However, it's the second cause of death among youth ages 10 to 14 and young adults ages 20 to 34.
"Over half of mental health challenges happen before the age of 14," Matthews said. "So a young person experiencing depression and anxiety, they may not have the words to describe what they're feeling. So for a young person who may be experience anxiety, they may describe that as a stomach ache."
The public information session about the L.O.S.S. Teams is begins at 9 a.m. Tuesday, on July 8, at 409 E. Monument Ave. in Dayton. It'll be held in the ADAMHS training room on the second floor.
The group also welcomes volunteers for the L.O.S.S. Teams. Montgomery County ADAMHS will host an all-day training session July 25.
Learn more at the MCADAMHS.
