Skip to main content
Behavioral Health Services
Behavioral Health Services

Policy, data, and evaluation

The first ever county-wide Strategic Plan for Suicide Prevention was approved by the Santa Clara County (SCC) Board of Supervisors in August 2010. Policy and Governance Advocacy is one of the five strategies recommended in the Plan. The primary objective of this strategy is to:

Increase public awareness of suicide as a public health problem; and
Promote policies and programs that prevent suicide at local, state, and federal level, and within different organizations; and
Advocate for changes in in legislation and policy; and
Advocate prevention funding.​

African American woman covering her face

The Suicide Prevention Data Workgroup works to establish a robust data collection and monitoring system in the County, in order to increase the scope and availability of suicide-related data and to evaluate suicide prevention efforts. 

CDC Epi-Aid Report on Youth Suicide in Santa Clara County, 2016​

Staff from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), responded to a request for Epidemiologic Assistance (Epi-Aid) from the Santa Clara County to meet the following objectives: 

  1. Characterize the epidemiology of, and trends in, fatal and nonfatal suicidal behaviors among youth occurring from 2003 through 2015 in Santa Clara County, California. 
  2. Examine the degree to which media coverage of youth suicides occurring from 2008 through 2015 in Santa Clara County, California, met safe suicide reporting guidelines. 
  3. Inventory and compare youth suicide prevention policies, activities, and protocols used in the community to evidence-based and national recommendations. 
  4. Synthesize information from objectives 1–3 to make recommendations on youth suicide prevention strategies that can be used at the school, community, and county levels.

​​​​​​​​​​​​

Reports and downloads

Suicide Data Report in Santa Clara County

Suicide is an important public health concern impacting people from all strata of life and results in long-lasting negative effects on individuals, families, and communities. Suicide is one of the top 10 causes of death in the U.S and Santa Clara County. On top of thousands of people dying due to suicide each year nationwide, many more consider attempting suicide and/or receive medical care for self-inflicted injuries.

VIEW DATA