Stanislaus County records a spike in suicides. Why are the rates elevated?
Stanislaus County officials took notice of a spike in suicides in April in a county that regularly has elevated rates.
The Coroner’s Office released a preliminary count of eight suicides last month, which is compared to three incidents of people ending their lives in March.
Some of the incidents last month were hangings in Modesto, which created a stir on social media sites. The county averages around five suicides each month, so the one-month spike prompted a response from mental health officials and a coalition that works on strategies to prevent suicide.
As of last week, the county has recorded 19 suicide deaths this year, which is two more than the same period in 2024.
Lt. Jonathan Howard of the Coroner’s Office said the numbers for April are preliminary. Howard said he was compiling data for the Suicide Prevention Education Coalition (SPEC), a group formed in 2023 to develop prevention efforts to assist people in personal crisis. He said the Coroner’s Office does not release specifics on individual suicide cases.
According to 2023 data, Modesto has about 50% more suicides per capita than California’s rate of 10.5 per 100,000. Oakdale has the county’s highest rate at 17.2 per 100,000 and three other cities — Turlock, Patterson and Waterford — have suicide rates higher than the statewide rate, according to the data.
The numbers were presented April 23 at a town hall in Oakdale partly organized by SPEC to raise awareness about two separate problems: suicide deaths and the fentanyl crisis. A panel made up of city, county, education and community representatives discussed the two issues.
Data from 2019 to 2023 show the highest incidence of suicide in the 45-to-54 age group in Oakdale. Suicide claimed the lives of residents in other age groups, from younger people in ages 15 to 24 to adults 55 and older, but the incidence rates were lower.
Two suicides have occurred in Oakdale since Jan. 1.
Over the period from 2018 to 2023, the number of suicide deaths countywide peaked at 73 in 2019, dipped to 52 in 2020 and rose to 67 in 2022 and 64 in 2023. An overall county rate of 12 per 100,000, or 15% above the state rate, has been cited as a problem area in public health reports, but no one seems to have identified causes or a theory for the higher rate in Stanislaus.
“The first step is calling attention to it,” said Buck Condit, chairman of the county Board of Supervisors, whose district includes Oakdale. Condit has mentioned an idea for a task force aimed at reducing suicides and fatal drug overdoses, but he said he’s likely to talk with Oakdale’s mayor about another suicide awareness event.
“While we don’t yet have a definitive explanation, the elevated local rates are concerning and merit further investigation,” a county public health spokesperson said by email this week. “Understanding the contributing factors is crucial to developing effective prevention strategies.”
The county’s Suicide Prevention Education Coalition meets the second Friday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Self-Help Credit Union conference room, 900 Crows Landing Road in Modesto.
Ruben Imperial, director of county Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, said the state has directed local jurisdictions to make their mental health services more accessible for people in crisis. A 988 call to the national suicide and crisis hot line goes to a Central Valley suicide prevention line.
A contractor organization will triage calls and dispatch emergency services if needed or connect the caller back to a county access line, which has professionals guiding callers to services or help with a mental health or substance use crisis.
County has suicide prevention services
The county’s suicide prevention services include a response team available seven days a week. County residents may call a non-crisis “warm line” at 209-558-4600 for peer support and intervention if they’re having trouble getting through the day, need a caring listener or want support and resources toward recovery.
While many suicides are related to mental disorders such as depression or addiction, other factors may contribute to risk of a suicide attempt.
“Suicide most often occurs when stressors or health issues converge to create an experience of hopelessness and despair,” says the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention website. Environmental factors may include stress from harassment, bullying, toxic relationships or joblessness, the website says.
People can improve their mental state by seeking help, restoring connections to family, using coping skills and cultural or religious beliefs that encourage connection and create a sense of purpose or self-esteem, the foundation says.
Stanislaus County has an Access Crisis and Support Line for immediate assistance with a mental health or substance use crisis. Call 888-376-6246.
This story was originally published May 15, 2025 at 7:55 AM.
