Officials hope to dispel suicide taboo

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Officials hope to reduce Alabama's suicide rate, which is worse than the national average.

The Alabama Suicide Prevention and Resources Coalition is planning an advertising campaign for this summer to address the taboo against talking about suicide.

State suicide prevention director Debra Hodges tells The Anniston Star (http://bit.ly/WRje5I ) the campaign will be funded with a $1.47 million, three-year grant aimed at youth suicide prevention.

Hodges says suicide rates have climbed sharply across the country since the recession began, and Alabama's problem has been worse than average.

Hodges says the state had about 13.4 suicides per 100,000 people in 2011. The most recent national numbers had the overall American suicide rate at 12.4 per 100.000 people.

Hodges says guns account for about 70 percent of all suicides in Alabama.