Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation Highlights a Year of Accomplishments

COLUMBUS (OH) – The Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation (OSPF) is reflecting on the impactful work accomplished in 2024 as part of its ongoing mission to reduce suicide rates and improve mental health outcomes across Ohio. This year, OSPF has focused on expanding support to at-risk populations, providing resources for education, and promoting life-saving prevention programs statewide.

“We are grateful for the collaboration of our many local, state, and federal partners as we made strides in our efforts to save lives and provide support to those affected by suicide,” said OSPF Executive Director Tony Coder. “While progress has been made, there is still work to be done. We are committed to continuing our mission to reduce suicide rates and provide critical support to individuals and families in need.”

Key Accomplishments of 2024:

1. Community Engagement and Training:

In 2024, OSPF’s community outreach across Ohio included suicide prevention training and public awareness campaigns. By partnering with local prevention coalitions, healthcare providers, businesses, and schools, OSPF delivered life-saving information to more than 160,000 Ohioans.

2. Launch of New Program:

OSPF launched Man Therapy, a new initiative focused on addressing men’s mental health using humor and relatable content. Man Therapy Ohio reached more than 28,000 individuals in less than a year, providing them with mental wellness tools.

3. Strengthen Ohio’s Prevention Efforts:

In 2024, OSPF marked significant milestones with events that underscored its commitment to bringing together diverse leaders to strengthen Ohio’s suicide prevention efforts.

• More than 200 prevention and healthcare professionals, as well as state and community leaders, gathered in Columbus for the Midwest Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Summit on October 17-18, 2024.
• OSPF hosted Ohio’s first-ever Suicide Fatality Review Best Practices Summit on November 12 with nearly 200 stakeholders from across Ohio who learned from state and national experts about the latest best practices in suicide fatality review.

Ongoing Goals and Focus for 2025

Looking toward the future, OSPF remains focused on several key goals for 2025:

• Expanding support to at-risk populations, including older Ohioans
• Advocating for policies and funding that prioritize suicide prevention
• Ensuring sustainable funding for Ohio’s 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
• Continuing education and awareness campaigns to reduce stigma and promote mental wellness

“We are dedicated to building on our momentum in 2025,” Coder said. “Together with our partners and supporters, we will continue until there are zero deaths by suicide.”

For more information about the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation, or to get involved, please visit OhioSPF.org.

The Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation is a nonprofit organization that works tirelessly to prevent one of our most preventable causes of death: suicide. Our work includes reducing the stigma of suicide, promoting evidence-based prevention strategies, and raising awareness about suicide’s relationship to mental illness and substance use disorders, and other factors that contribute to suicide.

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Editor’s Note: Photos to support this story are available on Dropbox.