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Our Mission and Goals
Welcome to the Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention website.

Since 1999, the Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention (MCSP) has been working to bring about awareness and mobilize community action in response to the public health crisis of suicide and self-injury in the Commonwealth, a tragedy that claims more lives in the state than homicide and HIV/AIDS.

The MCSP seeks to be a catalyst for action and a powerful voice for change. We are citizens, community leaders, advocates, legislators, public health officials,
mental health leaders, survivors of suicide attempts and families who have lost loved ones to suicide — working together to stem the tide of suicide and self-harm.

We will only be successful in our mission to save lives if we all work in partnership. The MCSP seeks to serve as a bridge between those on the front lines of suicide prevention and local communities seeking to make their communities safe and healthy. We seek to be a focal point for exchanging ideas and a clearinghouse for suicide prevention activities in the state.
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Events
• 33,300 people died by suicide in the United States in 2006 (11.1 deaths per 100,000)
• 504 Massachusetts citizens died by suicide in 2007 (7.5 deaths per 100,000), an increase from 437 deaths in 2006 (6.5 per 100,000)
• There were more than twice the number of suicides (504) compared with homicides (183) in the Commonwealth and significantly more citizens died by suicide than HIV/AIDS (143).
• In 2006, there were 4,454 hospitalizations for self-inflicted injuries (latest year for which data is available).
• In 2006, there were 6,969 emergency department visits for self-inflicted injuries.
• According to the 2007 Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey, in the past year 12.5% of high school youth seriously considered suicide, 10.6% made a suicide plan,and 7.6% made a suicide attempt.
• The highest number of suicides occurred among persons ages 85 and older (11.4 per 100,000), persons ages 45-64 (11.0 per 100,000), and persons aged 25-44 (10.7 per 100,000).
• Nationally, suicide among veterans returning from active duty in war zones has become an emerging tragedy since 2005
(c) Copyright 2005 by the Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention