National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month: Supporting Lives Behind and Beyond the Walls
September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, a time to recognize the urgent and often overlooked mental health challenges within correctional settings. Behind prison walls and within correctional workforces, suicide remains a stark reality—one that demands our empathy, support, and meaningful intervention.
Stark Realities, Verified
- Extraordinarily High Suicide Rates Among Correctional Officers
A study focusing on the Massachusetts Department of Correction from 2010 to 2015 found that correctional officers experienced an average suicide rate of approximately 105 per 100,000—at least seven times higher than the national average of 14 per 100,000. That rate is nearly 12 times higher than Massachusetts’ overall average of 9 per 100,000.1 - Over 1,200 Law Enforcement and Corrections Suicides (2016–2022)
From 2016 to 2022, a combined total of 1,287 law enforcement and corrections officers died by suicide—amounting to an average of 184 per year2. Within this grouping, approximately 13% were corrections officers, highlighting the broad reach of this crisis3.
Why These Figures Matter
These statistics are more than numbers—they represent prevented lives, families left grieving, and colleagues in need of support. Correctional professionals face a unique combination of stressors: trauma exposure, chronic burnout, and often, inadequate access to mental health resources. Addressing their struggles isn’t just compassionate, it’s imperative.
Your Call to Action: NCCHC Foundation’s Commitment
At the NCCHC Foundation, we’re turning awareness into action with focused initiatives:
- Equipping Staff Through Education
NCCHC webinars and conference sessions empower correctional personnel to identify signs of suicide risk and intervene quickly. NCCHC’s two-part webinar series in September focuses on preventing suicides among the incarcerated. - Cultivating Awareness
Help spread the word. Advocate for mental health programs and peer support systems tailored to correctional environments. - Honoring Lives While Fostering Hope
Participate in remembrance events and advocacy projects that transform loss into meaningful prevention.
This September, let’s come together to prioritize mental health and prevent suicide within our facilities and among our staff. Whether it’s participating in a training, donating to support mental health initiatives, or starting a conversation, your efforts make a difference.
If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. Contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988 or visiting 988lifeline.org.
Together, we can build a culture of care and compassion—for everyone behind the walls and those who serve them. Thank you for being part of the change.
