Caroline County proclaims Suicide Prevention Month; local nonprofit outlines screenings and programs

Caroline County commissioners read a proclamation on Sept. 1 recognizing September as Suicide Prevention Month and urging residents to support prevention and access to mental-health care.

"We really just want to acknowledge how important this issue is for our community and particularly for our young people," said Katie Celebreating, outreach and marketing coordinator for All Seasons, after the proclamation was read. She cited the organization's FY26 work, saying its clinical team completed 893 mental-health screenings and identified 164 people at elevated risk who entered a safety-planning process. Celebreating listed free community offerings this month, including a presentation ‘‘Reclaiming Our Stories, Reclaiming Ourselves’’ (Sept. 16) and a Sept. 30 lunch-and-learn about counseling on access to lethal means.

The proclamation included national and state figures and local youth-risk data cited by the board: the reading noted 48,824 U.S. suicides in 2024 and that 14.9% of Caroline County high-school students reported seriously considering suicide in the prior 12 months. Commissioners encouraged residents to connect people in crisis to local resources, and All Seasons said walk-in services are available at 322 Market Street in Denton and via online training courses for teachers, parents and students.

The board did not take formal policy action during the proclamation, but commissioners thanked All Seasons and urged public outreach and continued community support for prevention and postvention services.