Lexington Medical Center is joining the fight against suicide.

The Lexington Countybased hospital received grant funding from the South Carolina chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the Lexington Medical Center Foundation and the Nord Family Foundation.

The funds will be used to train primary care, oncology and OB/GYN practices in the LMC physician network about suicide education and prevention.

The grant is part of the AFSB’s “Project 2025,” a nationwide initiative to reduce the annual rate of suicide in the United States 20% by 2025.

Statistics show:

• Lexington County ranks 9th out of South Carolina’s 46 counties in the rate of suicide.

• The rate of suicide attempts among children has doubled in less than 10 years.

• Suicide is now the 2nd leading cause of death for people ages 10 – 24.

• Over one third of people who die by suicide had visited a primary care provider within 30 days of death.

• 90% of people who attempted suicide had received outpatient medical care within the previous month.

• Over 50% of people who died by suicide did not have a previously diagnosed mental health condition.

A clinician and suicide attempt survivor will facilitate the training online with three 50-minute sessions. Physician practices can also access ongoing support through monthly web-based office hours, regular updates and refresher courses.

“Understanding and recognizing signs that a patient might be suffering from depression or contemplating suicide is very important for physicians,” said Robert M. Callis, MD, medical director for Physician Network Quality at LMC.