LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A recently released report shows suicides are outpacing homicides in Louisville so far this year. 

The Suicide Fatality Report from the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness was released Tuesday, covering data related to suicides from 2019-23, and contains numerous statistics that highlight a mental health crisis in the city. 

Several noteworthy statistics from the report stand out:

  • Men are at an increased risk of suicide. From 2020-23 — men accounted for about 80% of suicide deaths in Louisville.
  • Guns are the most common method of suicide, with over half of all deaths — 57% — involving the use of a firearm.
  • White individuals accounted for 78% of all suicide deaths during the study period.
  • Suicide deaths among Black individuals increased by 127% from 2020-22.
  • Deaths among Latino individuals doubled from 2019-22.
  • Occupational Risk: The top five occupational groups among suicide deaths were: construction and extraction, transportation and material moving, production, food service and sales-related fields.

Public Health Crisis

"Suicide really is a public health issue," said Geneva Robinson with Seven Counties Services. "And it's a public health issue that impacts all of us, whether we realize it or not. There's just so many lives that are lost in our community to suicide every year."

If you or someone you know is thinking about self harm or suicide, please call or text 988 to speak with a counselor 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also chat with counselors online at www.988lifeline.org. Those counselors can connect you with support resources for you or someone you love.

In addition to the 988 hotline, Seven Counties Services has rolled out two mobile health units to bring immediate behavioral health care to people in crisis. The units are staffed with licensed behavioral health providers, and equipped to provide services on the spot where they are needed. They also carry medication lockboxes, gun locks and naloxone, officials said.

When someone dials the 988 suicide hotline, the mobile units are now an option for on-site immediate care in behavioral or mental health emergencies, Seven Counties officials said. The rollout comes during Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month in September.

More Local News:

Overnight closures planned for East End Tunnel starting Sept. 28

2 men shot at Old Louisville apartment building, police say

Louisville businesses near I-264 widening project concerned with dwindling profits

Papa John’s founder John Schnatter wins key legal battle over leaked recording

Copyright 2025 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.