Dear Editor,

Ohio loses five people every day to suicide and, in the wake of these deaths, families and friends are left with the numbing pain and never-ending grief that no one should have to endure. I am one of those people. I lost my father, Jerry Williams, almost 11 years ago to suicide. The pain of that loss walks with me daily.

Finding help for someone who is struggling is key and can be difficult, especially when a family or individual has not had previous experience with the mental health system. To help ease the search for help, a national 9-8-8 suicide and crisis helpline will go live in July, 2022. Much like 9-1-1, the 9-8-8 line is being created to help people find help when experiencing a mental health crisis. As we get closer to the “go live” date, Ohio must make sure that the system that will be the lifesaving safety net for people experiencing suicidal thoughts is ready. Without proper action to create and fund a stellar system of care, more Ohio families will experience the loss that my family has. Trust me, no one wants this. We need to make our state leaders understand that ignoring 9-8-8 and the lives that could be saved from a totally preventable death like suicide is not only unacceptable but also will cause more families unnecessary grief. My father should have had more opportunities for addressing his mental health care. I wish there had been a resource like 9-8-8 when he needed it. 9-8-8 can save lives — all families deserve that chance at making a life-saving call to 9-8-8 in 2022.

Sandy Williams

Family Advocates for

Suicide Prevention

and

Jerry’s Walk —

Illuminating Suicide Awareness

Bexley, Ohio