NYC Health Department Recognizes Suicide Prevention Month and Releases New Data
Suicide Deaths Remained High in 2024, According to Newly Released Data
Call or Text 988 for Mental Health Services or Crisis Support, Available 24/7
September 29, 2026 — The New York City Health Department is recognizing Suicide Prevention Month by encouraging New Yorkers to protect their mental health and call 988 if they are in need of mental health services or crisis support.
Suicide rates in New York City remain below the national average, yet hundreds of New Yorkers die by suicide each year. Following a peak of 601 suicide deaths in 2022, new data released by the Health Department show that 535 New Yorkers died by suicide in 2024. The data also identify inequities across gender, age group, and race and ethnicity.
“While there has been a decline, we continue to lose too many New Yorkers to suicide. In recognition of Suicide Prevention Month, we are reminding New Yorkers that help is available,” said NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Alister F. Martin. “It’s OK to talk to someone, and the Health Department is here if you’re not sure where to turn.”
“To anyone struggling right now: Help is available, it works, and reaching out is a sign of strength,” said NYC Health Department Executive Deputy Commissioner for Mental Hygiene Dr. Jorge Petit. “I encourage everyone to check in on their friends, their family, and their neighbors, and to take advantage of the City’s resources.”
Manhattan residents died by suicide at the highest rate of any borough in 2024. Citywide, men were more than twice as likely to die by suicide as women. White and Latino men died by suicide at higher rates than Black and Asian and Pacific Islander men, and the rate among Latino men increased between 2015 and 2024.
Additional data from 2023 show that Latino adults are more likely to experience mental health symptoms that impact daily life than Black, Asian, and white New Yorkers. Of those, 45% reported an unmet need for mental health treatment; the most common reason was believing they could handle their mental health on their own, followed by not knowing where to get help.
Suicide is particularly high among young New Yorkers. New Yorkers 18 to 24 years old had the highest suicide rate of any age group, and survey data from 2023 show that 35% of public high school students reported persistent feelings of sadness, and an increase in suicide-related behaviors since 2013.
Ongoing trauma-informed mental health and suicide prevention initiatives from the Health Department include:
- Caring Transitions, a youth suicide prevention program in partnership with NYC Health + Hospitals that has served approximately 200 youth, with nearly 2,600 visits completed with youth and their families since its launch
- Two pilot projects to adapt evidence-based suicide prevention interventions to better meet the needs of New York City’s youth of color, in partnership with Montefiore Medical Center, Rutgers University, Teachers College, and Hamilton-Madison House
- The recently expanded Perinatal and Early Childhood Mental Health Network, which supports pregnant and postpartum people and families with children under 5 across the five boroughs
- Community Mental Wellness and Resilience workshops offering free upstream support to help New Yorkers foster good mental health habits early
- Guiding Youth Through Intervention, Diversion, and Empowerment, a free workshop to help adults support at-risk youth through early mental health intervention and crisis de-escalation
- An interagency work group on suicide prevention in the built environment convened with partners including the Department of Buildings, Housing Preservation and Development and FDNY
Anyone seeking mental health or crisis services can call, text, or chat 988 for confidential referrals and support 24/7, regardless of immigration or insurance status. An online database of services is also available, which allows people to explore hundreds of options citywide.
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MEDIA CONTACT: PressOffice@health.nyc.gov