Suicide rate in Idaho continues to rise

According to a new report by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, the rate of suicide was the highest ever in 2017 and 2018, pitting the Gem State as fifth highest in the nation.

According to the IDHW, 418 people died by suicide in 2018. KMVT spoke with the agency about why the number has increased.

"We are in a rural area, and rural tends to isolate, people don’t feel as connected, its easier for them to maybe go under the radar because there aren’t a lot of people around," said Scott Rasmussen, who works for the Department of Health and Welfare Behavioral Health Division.

The access to firearms is also high in the Gem State.

"You combine isolation in a rural area and access to means to complete suicide and we do tend to have those two factors that are commonly looked at," Rasmussen said.

Many people often feel as if there is nobody for them to talk to or who would understand, but some organizations in the Magic Valley are working to help.

"We have our hotline, too, if they ever needed to, often times we have people that might just need to talk to somebody we have our crisis hotline that is available 24/7 and anybody can call that line and we have people that are available around the clock that are able to take calls," said Noemi Juarez, who works for Voices Against Violence.

The number for that hotline is 208-733-0100. They do have people who speak different languages at all hours of the day.

And the FCC is working on getting a three digit suicide prevention number, similar to calling 911.

"The Federal Communications are working on that, the three digit number is not available yet, but it will be," Rasmussen said.

Rasmussen says there are people to help them get through it, to help them find hope.

"And sometimes that can be hard for them to find in that moment, can be hard for them to identify those things, but I think with the right help, with the right support, they can find those things," Rasmussen said.