The number of suicides in Montana last year was the lowest in roughly a decade, that’s according to preliminary state data.
Montana’s preliminary data shows suicides decreased nearly 20 percent compared to 2022.
Suicide numbers have been steadily increasing since 2014, but peaked at about 350 in 2021.
Those numbers have been falling over the past two years. State suicide coordinator Karl Rosston presented data to lawmakers in November.
“From ’21 to ’22, we had a 9% decrease. We also saw a decrease in our youth suicides, that was approximately a 30% decrease,” Rosston said.
There were 259 reported suicides in 2023, the lowest number since 2014. Rosston says that’s a step in the right direction but cautions that the numbers could shift as data is still coming in. Numbers should be finalized this spring.
