SYRACUSE, N.Y. – In New York, 1,700 people died from suicides in 2014, according to the State Office of Mental Health. Veterans account for 15.3 percent of those.
Monday, Veterans Affairs and the Onondaga County Suicide Prevention Coalition highlighted resources in the community to help, and it's not just for veterans. The coalition has a number of new strategies, including education, outreach and training.
This week is National Suicide Prevention Week, and the groups hope to eliminate the stigma of suicide.
"It's a hard thing to talk about. People are often scared to talk about suicide because if they find out someone is thinking about suicide, they don't know what to do next, and that is often a scary thing," said Stephanie Grandjean of the Suicide Prevention Coalition.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1(800) 273-8255. Veterans can press one.