MOBILE, Ala. — Suicide Prevention Awareness Month ended with September, but Mobile County health officials say youth suicide prevention has to stay on families’ minds every day of the year, especially as local data shows more young people arriving at emergency departments in crisis.
If you or a young person you know is struggling, help is available now. Call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The Mobile County Health Department’s Data Analytics and Epidemiology Division, which tracks a range of community health indicators, reported that as of October 2026 it had identified a 15 percent increase in emergency department visits for suicide attempts among young people ages 17 and younger, compared with all of 2025.
Health officials shared the figure not to alarm families, but to encourage parents, caregivers, teachers and friends to stay connected with young people and to know where to turn for help.
‘Connection Saves Lives’
Dr. Kevin Michaels, Mobile County’s health officer, said the message of the awareness month cannot stop when the calendar turns.
“Connection saves lives,” Michaels said. “Even after Suicide Awareness Month, we must continue checking in with our children, listening without judgment, reducing stigma around mental-health care, and ensuring families know where to turn when they need help.”
The health department stressed that any statement or behavior suggesting a young person may harm themselves should be taken seriously.
Officials also addressed one of the most common worries parents have. Asking a young person directly about suicide does not plant the idea in their mind, the department said. Instead, a calm and caring conversation can open the door to help. Mental health experts generally recommend asking plainly, listening without trying to fix everything in the moment, and staying with the young person while connecting them to support.
Warning Signs to Watch For
Young people may show emotional distress in different ways. The health department listed warning signs that parents and caregivers should notice:
- A sudden drop in grades or school attendance, or quitting hobbies they once enjoyed.
- Leaving group chats, deleting social media, or pulling away from friends and family.
- Major changes in personality, appetite or sleep.
- Feelings of worthlessness, saying they feel like a burden to others, or joking about death.
- Losing interest in future plans or showing no reaction to personal successes.
- Unusual goodbyes or giving away belongings.
- Neglecting hygiene or appearance.
- Reckless behavior, including drug or alcohol use.
- A sudden calm after a period of severe anxiety, depression, stress or agitation.
No single sign means a young person is in danger, but a change in behavior — especially several changes at once — is a reason to check in and, if needed, to bring in a professional.
Practical Steps at Home
Prevention also includes making the home safer during a difficult period. The health department urges parents to secure firearms, medications, alcohol and other items that could be dangerous to someone in crisis. Putting time and distance between a young person in distress and those items is one of the most effective prevention steps families can take.
The Mobile County Health Department offers free gun locks and naloxone at its Prevention and Wellness Kiosks.
The department also encourages parents and students to find out who the counselors are at their schools and to learn which community resources are available before a crisis happens, so there is no scramble to find help when it is needed.
Where to Find Help in Mobile County
For immediate emotional support, these resources are available:
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 to speak with a trained counselor 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Chat is also available at 988lifeline.org.
- 211: Mobile residents can dial 211 to connect with local counseling, social services and other community resources close to home.
- AltaPointe Access to Care: 251-450-2211.
- AltaPointe Behavioral Health Crisis Center: The center in Mobile provides around-the-clock crisis assessment, observation, stabilization, medication, therapy and psychiatric care. It can be reached at 251-662-8000.
If a child or adolescent is in immediate danger, call 911 or seek emergency medical care right away.
About 988
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline launched nationally in July 2022 as an easy-to-remember three-digit number for anyone experiencing a suicidal crisis, emotional distress or a substance use crisis. Calls, texts and chats are free and confidential, and the line is also available to parents, friends and others who are worried about someone else and want advice on what to do.
Callers are connected with trained counselors who listen, provide support and, when needed, link people with local services.
Recovery Is Possible
Health officials emphasize that young people who receive support can and do get through periods of crisis. Mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety are treatable, and reaching out for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
The Mobile County Health Department also offers behavioral health services for adolescents and adults, including brief treatment for depression and anxiety. Appointments and referrals are available by calling 251-690-8822. AltaPointe Health, Mobile County’s comprehensive community mental health provider, offers a broad range of mental health and substance-use services along with 24/7 crisis care.
Other local organizations are working on the same goal. In Baldwin County, groups formed by families and first responders have raised money for counseling access and crisis training, part of a broader push across the region to make it easier to ask for help.
For parents who are unsure where to start, the health department’s advice is simple: check in, listen without judgment, take warning signs seriously and connect your child with help. Then keep checking in.
If you are in crisis or worried about someone, call or text 988. In an emergency, call 911.