In February, Assemblymember James Ramos, D-San Bernardino, introduced Assembly Bill 440, which would require the state to identify the state-controlled bridges and roadways with the most suicides and the most attempted suicides and report back to the Legislature on potential strategies to reduce deaths by the end of 2027.

“We need to be proactive to ensure we provide at-risk individuals with the help they need,” Ramos is quoted as saying in a news release issued by his office. “Creating strategies that build in time to reconsider fatal choices can save lives and prevent long lasting traumatic pain in families and communities.”

The bill passed the Assembly on a 79-0 vote June 2 and moved on to the state Senate.

On Thursday, June 26, the bill advanced out of the Senate’s Committee on Health by an 11-0 vote.

AB 440 is headed next to the state Senate’s Appropriations Committee.

Ramos’ bill comes after a fall in which two Rancho Cucamonga teenagers killed themselves on the 210 Freeway at the Haven Avenue overpass, in mid- and late September.

According to Jennifer Camacho-Curtis, spokesperson for the city of Rancho Cucamonga, it had been at least a decade since the last suicides at the spot. Since then, the city has met with Caltrans officials several times to push for stronger suicide deterrents at the Haven Avenue overpass, Camacho-Curtis wrote in an email on Friday, June 27.

“While we’ve faced challenges  and have been met with resistance in securing Caltrans’ approval for substantial improvements such as overhanging fencing, we are continuing those discussions with urgency and focus,” she wrote.

In late fall 2024, Camacho-Curtis said, the city worked with San Bernardino County to install two suicide prevention signs at the Haven Avenue overpass. More recently, the city has been working to secure permits for the installation of overpass wing fencing at Haven Avenue.

“The city is funding this improvement directly,” Camacho-Curtis said, “as a demonstration of our commitment to proactive, local action.”

Suicide is a not a new subject for Ramos to tackle. He helped create the state’s Office of Suicide Prevention in 2020 and has continued to advocate for suicide prevention, especially in the Native American community, since then.

Ramos is not the only local legislator responding to the Rancho Cucamonga teens’ deaths.

Earlier in June, San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus advocated support for Senate Bill 800. The bill, introduced by state Sen. Eloise Gómez Reyes, D-Colton, and sponsored by the city of Rancho Cucamonga, would install physical barriers and signage to discourage suicide at 10 Freeway overpasses in San Bernardino County, prioritizing those with the highest rate of documented suicides over the past 20 years. SB 800 was approved by the state Senate on June 4 by a vote of 39-0 and is now working its way through the Assembly.

“In the past eight months, deputies have responded to 24 calls for service at seven different freeway overpasses throughout the city of Rancho Cucamonga. During that time, there have been at least ten separate incidents involving individuals either falling or attempting to fall from freeway overpasses in Rancho Cucamonga,” Dicus wrote in an op-ed. “Tragically, four lives were lost including one in the past week involving a 14-year-old who recently graduated the 8th grade. In six other cases, deputies intervened just in time – preventing additional loss of life.”

His department has also answered similar calls in Apple Valley, Colton, Ontario and Redlands, he wrote.

“Our job as law enforcement is to respond – but also to prevent where we can,” Dicus’ op-ed concludes. “SB 800 represents a chance to do both.”

According to the Assembly Committee on Health’s analysis of AB 440, suicide is the No. 1 cause of violent death and self-harm is the third leading cause of injury-related visits to emergency rooms.

How to get help

If you or someone you know is considering suicide or self-harm, mental health resources are available, including free and low-cost services. They include:

• The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988, or visit SuicidePreventionLifeline.org
• Crisis Text Line: CrisisTextLine.org
• Know the Signs: SuicideIsPreventable.org
• The Suicide Prevention Resource Center’s Resources and Programs page: SPRC.org/resources-programs
• The Veterans Crisis Line: Call 988 and press 1, or visit VeteransCrisisLine.net
• The National Council for Behavioral Health’s Find a Behavioral Health Provider page: TheNationalCouncil.org/providers/?region=CA
• Born This Way Foundation’s Get Help Now page: BornThisWay.foundation/get-help-now
• Hayden’s Corner: HaydensCorner.org

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The jail system has reported its highest number of detainee deaths in decades, including several suicides, the New York Times reported. Deaths were reported as homicide, overdose, natural causes and suicide.

Alicia Upton, who died of suicide in 2022, was one of 19 people who died in custody that year. It was the system’s most lethal year in more than three decades. Upton was one of at least four suicides, the newspaper reported.

Neglect by jail employees, access to drugs and cell assignments put detainees at increased risk throughout 2022, the New York Times reported.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department has reportedly assumed no responsibility for the deaths. County sheriff Chad Bianco did not respond to interview requests with the New York Times.

Meanwhile, California Attorney General Rob Bonta launched a civil rights investigation into the sheriff’s office last year, citing concerns over its jail facilities.

“Whether you have a loved one in jail or are worried about crime in your neighborhood, we all benefit when there is action to ensure the integrity of policing in our state,” Bonta wrote.

The newspaper reported five key takeaways about the jail system:

1. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department failed to adequately monitor detainees and intervene when they attempted suicide

2. Mentally ill detainees were able to block cell cameras and cell door windows even though the rules forbade it.

3. Deputies did not relocate detainees who expressed suicidal thoughts to cells where they could be monitored at all times.

4. The sheriff’s department left out important information about the deaths to the public and to the detainee’s families.

5. Riverside County paid out millions of dollars in settlements related to detainee deaths.

Read more from the New York Times: Inside a Deadly Southern California Jail System: 5 Takeaways

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These are words of a young girl who lost her friend to suicide that Rebecca Antillon says she will never forget.

About 15 years ago, Riverside County started seeing an uptick in suicide rates, so Antillon, a program director for the county’s Injury Prevention Services, sat down to watch a mother who lost her daughter to suicide speak about her experience.

“It really impacted me, of course, like I think it would anyone just hearing her share her story of missing those warning signs; of not knowing how to talk to her daughter about suicide and all the things she was going to miss,” Antillon told Patch.

Then the girl’s friends spoke. Their words impacted Antillon the most.

“They were visibly upset,” she said. “They had noticed changes in their friends and they didn’t understand.”

Tracking Suicide In Riverside County

Today, Antillon is the co-lead of the county’s Suicide Prevention Coalition, where she works to educate Riverside County residents about available resources and particularly about the warning signs of loved ones who may be struggling with suicide ideation.

The coalition also tracks and publishes local data.

While suicide is one of the top 5 leading causes of death in Riverside County in residents under 40, Antillon says suicide rates have actually decreased by 16%, according to data recorded between 2018 and 2022.

But suicide rates still disproportionately affect certain populations like white men and veterans.

• Suicide deaths were higher among men while suicide attempts were higher among females.
• Adults aged 25 to 64 made up a larger percentage of suicide deaths but adults 65 and older had the highest rate of suicide deaths in 2022.
• Suicide by firearm was the most common method for men, while poison was the most common means among women.
• Veteran suicides accounted for 16% of all suicide deaths.
• Suicide ideation was higher among female youth and nearly half of LGBTQ youth had considered suicide in the last year.

Raising Awareness About Suicide

The coalition also organizes events centering on education and awareness. The next one will mark the last weekend of Suicide Prevention Awareness month. Riverside residents can participate in the Out of Darkness Walk on at 9 a.m. Saturday in Fairmount Park, which is located at 2601 Fairmount Blvd. The walk will offer opportunities for residents to connect, share stories and honor those lost to suicide.

And annually for the past three years, the coalition has hosted a Suicide Prevention Coalition Conference, where law enforcement, educators, healthcare workers, first responders and those working at youth-serving agencies can listen to keynote speakers, panel discussions, trainings and more. The event is also open to the public.

Antillon said that this year’s conference is already at capacity, but those interested can still livestream the event at 9 a.m. on Thursday; just visit this link.

Resources In Riverside County

To keep suicide rates on their downward trend countywide, Antillon encourages residents to educate themselves on local resources.

“Many who are experiencing thoughts of suicide may feel scared or ashamed to tell someone,” she said. “The best thing we can do is educate our selves and really encourage everyone to learn to recognize the signs of suicide. Then, more importantly, how to ask direct questions and connect the person to the additional resources and support that can help them further.”

That’s why the county is offering free suicide prevention training to anyone who is interested. Find more information about that here.

Riverside County also has a local helpline for anyone in crisis or those struggling with suicide ideation. The number is 951-686-HELP (4357).

Antillon says the local helpline has trained workers can help deescalate a crisis. What’s more, they have access to 211, a resource and referral line, allowing crisis workers to look through a database to offer additional resources on that call. If the person is actively contemplating suicide and immediate support is needed, workers can connect them to a mobile crisis team that can go talk to them in person.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is also available at 800-273-8255 or 988.

Across Riverside County, there are also three mental health urgent care centers that are available 24/7.

“They will see people regaurdless of their insurance,” she said.

Two of the centers also offer support to those 13 and older. Find locations here.

At the end of the day Antillon emphasized that lowering suicide rates really comes down to strengthening support systems and finding community.

During the month of September, Antillon says the county has supported the state’s awareness campaign “Love Over Loneliness.”

“We know that one of the best protective factors that we can put in place is a strong support system and that’s a support system that can offer us comfort, security and even connection,” she said. “And that doesn’t have to be just what we consider traditional family. It’s friends, peers…your support system can also include your faith-based community. It can also include activities that offer you a sense of belonging and connection.”

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RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Community meetings focused on how to improve the delivery of mental health services in Riverside County will be held next week, with an open invitation to residents to take part and share opinions.

“Engagement and input from residents are crucial to shaping effective and responsive behavioral health services,” Riverside University Health System Behavioral Health Director Dr. Matthew Chang said. “We encourage everyone to participate to help guide the future of behavioral health care in Riverside County.”

Officials will specifically solicit input on proposed changes to the local Mental Health Services Plan, a product of voter-approved Proposition 63 from 2004, which resulted in increased income tax assessments on residents earning more than $1 million annually to pay for expanded therapeutic resources.

The county is seeking to expand and reconfigure some of the mental health services prescribed by Prop 63, including components related to early intervention for youth suffering depression, programs for children with disabilities and suicide prevention.

“Through the in-person and remote forums, residents can delve into the MHSA Plan and associated programs, ask questions and share their feedback,” according to an RUHS statement. “All comments will be incorporated into the plan submitted to the county Board of Supervisors and the California Department of Health Care Services. This … ensures the voices of residents directly influence local behavioral health services.”

The forums are scheduled on the following dates and at the following locations:

— Tuesday, May 28, 3-7 p.m., Moreno Valley Conference & Recreation Center, 14075 Frederick St.; and

— Thursday, May 30, 3-5 p.m., Coachella Valley Rescue Mission, 47-470 Van Buren St., Indio.

Recordings of the meetings will be made available via RUHS’ social media pages, which can be viewed at https://www.ruhealth.org/behavioral-health/MHSA.

Further details can be found at www.RUhealth.org, or by calling 951- 955-7198.

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2021 was the first full year of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to greater financial strain, housing instability, anxiety and depression levels, and barriers to health care – all of which are known to be associated with increased risk of suicide for Veterans and non-Veterans alike. There was also an increase in firearm availability in 2021, which is proven to increase both the risk of suicide and the risk of dying during a suicide attempt.

Ending Veteran suicide is VA’s top clinical priority and a key part of President Biden’s Unity Agenda. Since 2021, VA has worked aggressively to expand support for Veterans in crisis, including offering no-cost health care to Veterans in suicidal crisis at VA or non-VA facilities; launching the 988 (then press 1) to help Veterans connect more quickly with caring, qualified responders through the Veterans Crisis Line; partnering with community-based suicide prevention organizations to provide Veterans with on-the-ground support; expanding firearm suicide prevention efforts; and encouraging Veterans to reach out for help through a national Veteran suicide prevention awareness campaign. These steps have led to more than 33,000 Veterans getting free emergency health care, a 12.1% increase in use of the Veterans Crisis Line, more than 3.5 million visits to VA’s support website, and more.

Moving forward, VA and the Biden-Harris Administration will continue to work urgently to end Veteran suicide through a public health approach that combines both community-based and clinically based strategies to save lives.

“There is nothing more important to VA than preventing Veteran suicide —nothing,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough. “One Veteran suicide will always be too many, and we at VA will use every tool to our disposal to prevent these tragedies and save Veterans’ lives.”

“We will do everything in our power to learn from this report and use its findings to help us save lives,” said VA Under Secretary for Health Shereef Elnahal, M.D. “It will take all of us — working together — to end Veteran suicide, and we will not rest until that goal becomes a reality.”

Before 2021, Veteran suicide had decreased two years in a row—from 6,718 Veteran suicides in 2018 to 6,278 in 2020. Learn more information about VA’s comprehensive, nationwide efforts to prevent Veteran suicide.

This report is based on verified data from the Centers for Disease Control and Department of Defense, and it meets the quality standards of a peer-reviewed publication. In the interest of full transparency, VA releases yearly reports detailing how we come to the conclusions in the Annual Suicide Prevention Report.

For more detailed information about Veteran suicide in 2021, view the full report. For additional Veteran suicide mortality data, see the report’s accompanying state data sheets. 

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If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, contact the Veterans Crisis Line to receive free, confidential support and crisis intervention available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Dial 988 then Press 1, chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat, or text 838255.

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The correction clarifies requirements regarding the provision or coordination of a baseline mental health screening to participants.

Under section 201 of the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act (Public Law 116-171) and regulations VA published at 38 CFR part 78, VA will award grants to eligible entities that apply for such assistance to provide or coordinate suicide prevention services for Veterans and other eligible individuals at risk of suicide and their families.

The NOFO provides information about how to apply for financial assistance under the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program. Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m., ET, June 10, 2022.

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Timely evidence-based suicide prevention public service announcements on firearm safe storage have been released as the 20th anniversary of 9/11 approaches and the recent events in Afghanistan spark an array of emotions along with other stressors.

Reach Out emphasizes the importance of not waiting for a crisis to happen by acting now to help prevent Veteran suicide later. In addition to reaching out other critical actions that can save a life are hearing a Veteran’s story, being prepared, finding resources and spreading the word.

The messaging ensures Veterans, their families, friends and caregivers know they are not alone, and it only takes a moment to reach out and ask for help. VA’s Suicide Prevention Month campaign encourages Veterans who might be going through a challenging time in their lives to reach out for support.

“Transitioning from military service, changing jobs, ending a relationship, and even raising kids can be overwhelming at times, and while everyone goes through ups and downs, sometimes Veterans’ experiences can intensify these situations,” said VA Acting Under Secretary for Health, Steven L. Lieberman, M.D. “Veterans don’t have to go through the challenges of life alone; VA and community organizations can help by providing resources before a crisis develops and assistance for Veterans in crisis.”

There are many ways to reach out to friends, family and VA:

• Calling or texting a friend or fellow Veteran to talk about what they’re going through.
• Tapping into VA tools to get help when going through life’s challenges.

• Make the Connection, where more than 600 Veterans and family members share their stories of strength and recovery.
• MyVA411, where Veterans, their families and caregivers can call 1-800-MyVA411 (800-698-2411) to easily access information on VA benefits and services.
• VA Resource Locator, where Veteran and families can find VA resources at the national and local level.

VA also has resources to help Veterans transitioning from the military or going through a difficult time in life. VA Solid Start connects Veterans with qualified representatives who call three times during a Veteran’s first year of separation to walk through benefits available. The Self-Check Assessment is a confidential anonymous risk assessment Veterans can use to help them understand if and how stress and depression are affecting them.

Veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness can get free confidential support through the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans, where trained counselors are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Veterans do not have to be registered with VA or enrolled in VA health care to contact the center.

Veterans and loved ones can also find additional external resources on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Behavioral Health Treatment Services tool. It is confidential and anonymous and allows users to search by ZIP code for local treatment facilities that focus on substance use/addiction and/or mental health issues.

For more information and resources, visit REACH.gov/SPM.

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, contact the Veterans Crisis Line to receive free confidential support and crisis intervention available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Call?1-800-273-8255?and Press 1, text to 838255, or chat online at?VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat.??

Reporters covering this issue can download?VA’s Safe Messaging Best Practices?fact sheet or visit?www.ReportingOnSuicide.org for guidance on how to communicate about suicide.

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“The Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act is an honest and bipartisan solution to an issue that demands Congress’ immediate attention. The bill would boost care at VA facilities by expanding in-person and telehealth mental health services and allowing Guardsmen and Reservists to receive counseling at VA Vet Centers across the country. It would also expand the amount of non-VA community resources available to Veterans, wherever they may live, a key component of President Trump’s President’s Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End a National Tragedy of Suicide (PREVENTS) initiative. The bill passed the Senate unanimously and we call on the House to give it the timely attention and bipartisan support it deserves.”

Secretary Robert Wilkie

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During this and every month, Be There wants Veterans, community leaders and Veterans’ families and friends to know there is no special training needed to give a Veteran hope.

“There are simple ways anyone can show support for our nation’s Veterans like learning about VA’s suicide preventionefforts and recognizing the signs that a Veteran may need help,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “Take a moment to listen with compassion and let Veterans know you’re there for them.”

Be There suggests several simple actions that can help make a difference for a Veteran to include: 

• Reaching out to Veterans by sending a check-in text, cooking them dinner or simply asking them how they’re doing.
• Learning about the warning signs of suicide found on the Veterans Crisis Line website.
• Watching the free S.A.V.E. training video to learn how to respond with care and compassion if someone indicates they are having thoughts of suicide.
• Contacting VA’s Coaching Into Care program where a licensed psychologist or social worker will provide loved ones with guidance for motivating Veterans to seek support.
• Sharing stories of hope and recovery from VA’s Make the Connection.

 For more information and resources visit BeThereForVeterans.com.

 If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, contact the Veterans Crisis Line to receive free, confidential support and crisis intervention available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Call?1-800-273-8255?and Press 1, text to 838255 or chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat. 

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This partnership will offer Veterans in crisis the opportunity to be transferred to around-the-clock, confidential support via VA’s Veterans Crisis Line (VCL) when they use the emergency services button in an OnStar-equipped vehicle or OnStar Guardian smartphone app.

“The VA-OnStar partnership aims to promote suicide prevention and reduce deaths by suicide by providing additional resources to Veterans,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “This partnership will help Veterans access suicide prevention support services and assistance directly and immediately. More than 400 VA suicide prevention coordinators and their teams, located at every VA medical center, connect Veterans with care and educate the community about suicide prevention programs and resources daily.” 

An average of 20 Veterans die by suicide each day. Through this partnership, VA and OnStar, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Motors, will collaborate to provide education and training to VA clinicians and OnStar call center staff to facilitate suicide prevention efforts for Veterans. Additionally, VA will provide resources and education to OnStar about military culture and how to determine if a caller is a Veteran.

“OnStar services are designed to help our customers go out into the world feeling safer, and we recognize that for many people, and in particular Veterans, a crisis can start from within,” said Catherine Bishop, senior global emergency services manager for OnStar. “This partnership with VA allows our emergency-certified advisors to better serve the heroes who have served us.”

Suicide prevention is a top priority and VA has made great strides in Veteran suicide prevention, especially in crisis intervention. Partnerships such as this are coordinated by the Veterans Health Administration’s Office of Community Engagement.

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