AGENDA ITEM #7.i
Proclamation in Recognition of
SEPTEMBER 2026 AS SUICIDE PREVENTION
AWARENESS MONTH
WHEREAS, suicide is a serious and preventable public health concern affecting individuals, families, schools, workplaces, and communities across Marin County, the State of California, and the nation; and
WHEREAS, behind every data point is a life — a neighbor, a classmate, a coworker, a parent, a child — and the grief carried by those who survive a suicide loss can last a lifetime; and
WHEREAS, prevention is a shared responsibility, and connection, early support, reduced access to lethal means, and open conversation all measurably save lives; and WHEREAS, stigma and silence remain among the greatest barriers to help-seeking, and communities that speak openly and compassionately about mental health make it easier for people in distress to reach out; and
WHEREAS, data published by the County of Marin Department of Health and Human Services shows that the burden of suicide and self-harm is not shared equally in our county:
men account for roughly three-quarters of suicide deaths, veterans face approximately four times the risk of non-veterans, White residents are overrepresented among those who die by suicide, and young people ages 15 to 24 and Black residents are over-represented among those seeking emergency care for selfharm injuries; and WHEREAS, these patterns call for prevention efforts that are targeted, culturally responsive, and attentive to those least likely to ask for help, including men and boys, older adults, veterans and service members, LGBTQ+ residents, and people living with mental health or substance use conditions; and
WHEREAS, securing firearms and medications in the home is among the most effective steps a household can take to protect a loved one during a period of crisis, and is a matter of safety rather than judgment; and
AGENDA ITEM #7.i
WHEREAS, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides free, confidential, 24-hour support by call, text, or chat — in English and in Spanish — to anyone in distress or concerned about someone else, and is answered for Marin County residents by trained crisis counselors at Buckelew Programs in Novato, with the County's Mobile Crisis Response Team available for in-person response; and
WHEREAS, the Marin County Suicide Prevention Collaborative, established under the County's first Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan adopted by the Board of Supervisors in February 2020, brings together loss survivors, attempt survivors, families, clinicians, educators, first responders, and community members to advance prevention, intervention, and postvention throughout Marin; and WHEREAS, organizations including NAMI Marin County, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and local schools, faith communities, and nonprofits offer education, peer support, and grief resources to Fairfax residents at little or no cost; and WHEREAS, September is recognized nationally as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and September 10 is observed as World Suicide Prevention Day, providing an occasion to honor those we have lost, stand with those who are struggling, and recommit to a community where help is easy to find and easy to accept; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED that the Town Council of the Town of Fairfax hereby recognizes September 2026 as SUICIDE PREVENTION AWARENESS MONTH in the Town of Fairfax; and
BE IT FURTHER PROCLAIMED that the Town Council encourages every Fairfax resident to learn the warning signs of suicide, to check in on the people around them, to speak about mental health without shame or judgment, to store firearms and medications securely, and to save 988 in their phones; and
BE IT FURTHER PROCLAIMED that the Town Council affirms that every Fairfax resident can help build a culture that accepts people as they are, whoever they love and whatever they are carrying, so that asking for help is understood as an act of strength and no one faces a crisis alone; and
BE IT FURTHER PROCLAIMED that the Town Council extends its gratitude to the crisis counselors, clinicians, first responders, educators, peer supporters, and volunteers who serve our community, and its compassion to every Fairfax family touched by suicide loss.
Signed on this 2nd day of September 2026
Stephanie Hellman
Mayor of Fairfax