SC advocates say efforts to prevent suicide furthered this legislative session, but work remains

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Advocates say South Carolina has made progress in the last year to try to curb suicide across the state.

But there’s still more work to be done.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows the number of suicides in South Carolina is going up.

It follows national, post-pandemic trends that also indicate rising suicide rates across the country.

At a meeting this week of the state’s Suicide Prevention Coalition — made up of representatives from state agencies, organizations, and one lawmaker — members reviewed what the legislature accomplished this year toward furthering these efforts and what priorities will have to wait to be addressed, with the legislative session wrapped up for 2024.

“These are really bold steps by the General Assembly to say, ‘We see you, and we know this need is here,’” Jennifer Butler with the South Carolina Department of Mental Health said.

Among them is the enactment of two new laws.

The first adds required suicide-prevention training for certain health professionals, which, in the future, they hope to expand to more people in the field, including primary care physicians.

“Most people don’t know that it isn’t part of the standard curriculum for social workers, for LPCs [licensed professional counselors], for marriage and family therapists, and so often times when they do get a little bit of information, it’s a one-off, so we want this to be something that they continue as part of their professional education,” Butler said.

Advocates believe the other new law will help open up the workforce so more South Carolinians can access counseling services.

The current state budget, which was passed last year, also included recurring money to fund the state’s Office of Suicide Prevention for the first time ever and to fund South Carolina’s second 998 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline call center, located in Charleston.

The head of the state’s Department of Mental Health said the second center’s opening last year helped boost the number of calls South Carolinians make to 988 that are answered by someone in South Carolina from a low of 58% to now over 80%, between the centers in Charleston and Greenville.

“And so we’re on our way into the 90s if I had my way about it,” South Carolina Department of Mental Health Acting Director Dr. Robert Bank said.

Among the bills that did not reach the governor’s desk this year are two school-related bills that would expand existing suicide-prevention efforts to younger students.

“We’re seeing younger and younger children struggling with suicidal thoughts,” Butler said. “The youngest caller in the last two years to 988 in South Carolina has been six years old.”

One bill would expand mandated suicide prevention training for more school staff, and the other would require the 988 hotline be printed on more students’ ID cards.

Sen. Katrina Shealy, who sponsored both those bills and is facing a Republican primary runoff for her Lexington County seat next week, said she plans to refile them for next year if she is reelected.

Meanwhile negotiators are still working out the details of the next state budget.

Butler said they hope to see money included in it to fund forensic services.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, help is available 24/7, including on holidays.

You can call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 9-8-8 or chat online at 988lifeline.org

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