Suicide Hotline in the Northwest

Week of January 28, 2008

The Oregon National Guard offers a toll-free Northwest Human Services Suicide Prevention Hotline at 800-560-5535. The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) reports that suicides are the leading cause of violent death and veterans represent 28 percent of total suicides in that state. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs reported 800,000 veterans suffered from depression between 1999 and 2004. In addition, 52,000 have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Most of these veterans are under the age of 40.