Jones County Coalition members considered the direction for year two of a new contract with Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Development Disabilities at its October meeting.
The goal of the organization is to bring awareness to the issue and reduce the number of suicides in Jones County.
The Oct. 28 meeting was held in the Jones County High School Community Room and was led by Grace Carruth with Augusta University Medical College.
Carruth introduced new Community Program Coordinator Sheryl Alexander, who is also from Augusta University.
Carruth reported one death by suicide in September, which was a 35-year-old white male. The death brings the total to seven deaths by suicide in 2025. The manner of death was hanging, which she reported was the most used method followed by firearms.
One of the new tools in awareness is the availability of help from the national crisis line, 988. The coalition is providing window clings for businesses with the information about 988. Committee member Leslie Poythress said 60 local businesses are interested in displaying the information with the window clings and other information. The plan is to have all that in place by the end of next month.
Other suggestions for getting the message of available resources included using billboards and buses.
Family Connection Coordinator Joy Carr also works as coordinator for the coalition. She is a certified trainer in QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) training and offers training to churches, organizations and any group interested.
Carr can be contacted by email at jonescountyfamilyconnection@ gmail. com for more information.
The Jones County Suicide Coalition was created in 2019, when the number of deaths by suicide got the attention of the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Development Disabilities when statics placed the county 10th in the state.
Jones County was not alone in alarming statistics. Richmond County was also struggling with a high suicide rate, and Augusta University applied for and received a grant from DBHDD to help both counties reduce those numbers.
Since that time, a dedicated group has held monthly meetings to try to shine a light on the issue. The numbers have improved, but suicide deaths continue to plague the community. Suicide was the ninth-leading cause of death in Jones County from 2013-17 and the number one cause of death for the time period for ages 15-19. It was the number two cause of death for ages 45-54.
Jones County had eight deaths by suicide in 2016 and seven deaths by suicide in 2018. That number spiked to eight again in 2022 but dropped to one in 2023. The number of deaths by suicide in 2024 was four.
During the years of 2021-24, the number of deaths by suicide exceeded the number of traffic fatalities. Another startling fact is the suicide numbers do not include deaths from overdoses, unless a note is left by the victim.
The Partners in Prevention portion of the meeting was led by Areil Ajero, who spoke about efforts at the county’s two middle schools and high school. She said all teachers at the Jones County College and Career Academy are now certified in Catch My Breath training the works to present the dangers of vaping and tobacco products.
Ajero said a session for parents would be held Nov. 13 at 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at JCHS. She said the positive social norms posters in place at the schools were due to be switched out.
The next meeting of the coalition is scheduled Dec. 2 at 10 a.m. in the Community Room at JCHS. The public is invited an encouraged to attend.
