September Suicide Awareness Month

September Suicide Awareness Month
By Stephanie Kinnander, Prevention Specialist with the NEPRC at the Human Service Agency.

September is Suicide Awareness Month, a time for all of us to come together and talk about something that impacts more lives than many of us realize. Too often, conversations about suicide get pushed aside because they feel heavy or uncomfortable. But the truth is, a lot of people are struggling—and opening up those conversations can make a real difference. This month reminds us that we’re not alone, that help is out there, and that hope is always possible.
Glacial Lakes SAFE (Suicide Awareness For Everyone) is a local coalition that started back in 2015 with one goal: to bring people together through a Suicide Prevention Awareness Walk. “Ten years ago, we started this walk because we weren’t sure how to carry this kind of loss alone,” said Kelli Rumpza, Community Prevention Specialist and coalition lead with the Human Service Agency. “Each year, we’ve returned—not because the pain fades, but because remembrance matters.”
Since then, the coalition has grown beyond the annual walk. The Watertown area has many strong mental health resources. But the group saw the need to go further—bringing people together, creating a shared language, breaking down the stigma around asking for help and promoting the area resources. “We knew we needed to address suicide rates in our community,” Rumpza explained. “We wanted people to see that caring for your mental health is just as important as caring for your physical health—and it matters for every single community member.”
In 2024, in the Watertown Community, there were 3 suicide deaths, 2023 had 4 suicide deaths, and 2022 had 3 suicide deaths. A 2023 survey done of Watertown Students showed that 25.1% of Watertown High School students (grades 9-12) seriously considered suicide in the past year. Of Watertown Middle School students (grades 7-8), 14% seriously considered suicide in the past year.  (Pride surveys, 2023). 
This trend is not isolated to Watertown. In 2023, South Dakota had 180 people die by suicide. South Dakota has the 10th highest suicide rate in the United States. Suicide is the leading cause of death for South Dakotans age 10-29.
 
These rates may seem like just numbers, but each of these numbers represents individuals who left behind people who loved and cared for them.  Coming together allows us to honor their memory and go through the healing journey together.
With that in mind, Glacial Lakes SAFE continues to expand its efforts to build awareness, offer support, and create space for hope and healing.
If you’d like to be part of the movement to change the conversation around suicide or want to honor a loved one, you’re invited to join the Suicide Prevention Awareness Walk on September 13, 2025, at the South Dakota Army National Guard Readiness Center. To learn more, visit www.glsafe.org or find Glacial Lakes SAFE on Facebook: @GlacialLakesSAFE.
And remember: if you or someone you know is thinking about suicide or facing a mental health crisis, help is available 24/7. Call or text 988 anytime, or connect with a local counselor by calling the Human Service Agency at 605-886-0123. You don’t have to face these challenges alone.