ALLENTOWN, Pa. — The Suicide Prevention Coalition of Lehigh County will hold a flag-raising and proclamation ceremony Tuesday, Sept. 1, to launch Suicide Prevention Month, a month of community events focused on awareness, education and connection.
The ceremony is scheduled from noon to 12:30 p.m. at the Lehigh County Government Center, 17 S. Seventh St., Allentown. It comes in a year when deaths by suicide have far outpaced homicides in Lehigh County.
As of July, the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office had reported 29 deaths by suicide in 2026, compared with eight homicides over the same period, according to the coalition’s announcement.
The county recorded 50 suicides in 2023, and suicide ranks as the third-leading cause of death in Lehigh County, according to data published by the coalition drawing on the coroner’s office, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Nationally, suicide claimed 48,824 lives in 2024, a decline of about 1 percent from the year before but still among the highest annual totals on record, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The agency estimates 14.3 million American adults seriously considered suicide that year.
Tuesday’s program includes remarks and an official proclamation from Lehigh County Executive Josh Siegel, an invocation, a moment of silence, a flag-raising and bell ringing ceremony, and remarks from Lehigh County Coroner Daniel Buglio, according to the coalition.
Community advocacy awards will be presented to recognize local leadership in suicide prevention.
The coalition, which is overseen by Pinebrook Family Answers, an Allentown-based nonprofit that provides mental health and family services across the Lehigh Valley, said the observance is built on the message that suicide is preventable.
Most people experiencing suicidal thoughts are seeking relief from overwhelming emotional pain rather than death, the coalition said, and early intervention, compassionate conversations and access to mental health resources can save lives.
Human connection is among the strongest protective factors against suicide, according to the coalition, which is calling on residents to check in on friends, family members, co-workers, students, veterans and neighbors.
The group said prevention is a shared responsibility that extends beyond mental health professionals to schools, workplaces, faith communities, health care providers, first responders and families.
It is also urging residents to help reduce stigma, saying mental health challenges are common and treatable and that asking for help should be seen as a sign of strength.
As part of the month’s programming, the coalition will host a QPR — Question, Persuade, Refer — suicide prevention training from 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 10.
A location for the training had not been announced as of Thursday; details and registration information are available from the coalition at info@suicidepreventionlc.org or 484-201-1249.
The training falls on World Suicide Prevention Day, observed each Sept. 10 since 2003 by the International Association for Suicide Prevention in partnership with the World Health Organization, which has designated “Changing the Narrative on Suicide” as the observance’s theme through 2026.
Residents can also learn the warning signs of suicide, support local prevention efforts and share information about crisis resources, the coalition said.
More information about the coalition and its September events is available at SuicidePreventionLC.org.
Anyone in emotional distress or concerned about a loved one can call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Callers do not need to be in immediate crisis to reach out, the coalition said.
Use of the line continues to grow: state 988 contact centers received more than 4.3 million calls in 2025, a 12 percent increase over the previous year, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.