Every September, we observe Suicide Prevention Month, a time to raise awareness, reduce stigma, share resources, and reaffirm our commitment to supporting mental health. At SecureVideo, we believe in the power of connection, and in this month especially, we reflect on how telehealth and video-based solutions can help save lives.
What Suicide Prevention Month Represents
Suicide Prevention Month is more than an observance; it’s a call to action. It invites communities, providers, and individuals to open conversations around mental health, share resources, and emphasize that help is available. Across the country, organizations use this month to highlight prevention strategies, encourage those at risk to seek help, and remind us all that even small actions, like checking in on a friend, can make a difference.
Why Awareness and Action Are Critical
The numbers show us why this work is so urgent. According to LMT Online, In 2023, more than 49,000 lives were lost to suicide in the United States. Additionally, during the same year, about 12.8 million Americans seriously considered suicide, and 1.5 million attempted it. According to Compass Health, suicide also remains the second leading cause of death for young people between the ages of 10 and 34.
Behind every one of these statistics are families, friends, and communities left grieving. These realities underscore the importance of prevention, awareness, and accessible care.
How Telehealth Can Support Suicide Prevention
Telehealth, especially through video-based behavioral health services, has unique strengths in the work toward preventing suicide:
- Increased Accessibility and Reach
Telehealth removes geographic barriers. For people in rural or underserved areas, or those with mobility or transportation issues, video visits can make mental health care more attainable. - Timeliness and Flexibility
Mental health crises can happen at any time. Telehealth allows providers to respond more quickly, offer follow-ups, and maintain continuity even when in-person appointments are hard to schedule. - Comfort, Privacy, Reduced Stigma
Many people feel more comfortable engaging from their own home or a private, familiar space. This can help reduce the shame or anxiety sometimes associated with seeking in-person care. - Evidence That Virtual Care Can Reduce Suicide-Related Events
A recent study by Health Systems Research in U.S. veterans found that when a higher percentage of mental health care visits were conducted virtually, there was a measurable decrease in suicide-related events—including nonfatal attempts, intentional self-harm, or death. Specifically, a 1% increase in virtual mental health visits was associated with about a 2.5% decrease in suicide-related events.
Also, according to PMC, safety planning and crisis response delivered via telehealth have shown reductions in suicidal ideation and behaviors. - Support for Aftercare and Relapse Prevention
Telemedicine-based follow-ups, remote check-ins, and virtual support groups can help reduce suicide re-attempts and delay relapse into higher-risk periods.
How SecureVideo Customers Make an Impact
At SecureVideo, we are privileged to work with behavioral health organizations that use our platform every day to reach people in need. Some of our customers run crisis hotlines and use SecureVideo for immediate, confidential video sessions with callers in distress. Others are outpatient clinics that rely on telehealth for ongoing therapy sessions, check-ins, and aftercare planning. Many integrate SecureVideo into broader care coordination, combining in-person visits with virtual support to ensure that no one slips through the cracks.
Through these partnerships, SecureVideo becomes more than just a technology platform—it becomes a bridge that connects providers to patients during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
Let SecureVideo Help
As we recognize Suicide Prevention Month, SecureVideo reaffirms its commitment to supporting behavioral health providers with secure, reliable telehealth solutions. Together, we can break down barriers to care, expand access to life-saving support, and help more people find hope.
If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the U.S. or a trusted local helpline. No one has to face this alone. Talk to SecureVideo to ensure you have a telehealth solution in place for behavioral health.