Suicides continue to be an issue across the United States, and one group in Greene County is looking to completely eliminate them.

The Greene County Suicide Prevention Coalition has been meeting on a monthly basis since this past September. The organization’s goal is “reduce suicides in Greene County by ending stigma and increasing support through communication.” Greene County is the first county in Iowa to utilize the University of Pittsburgh’s Program Evaluation and Research Unit (PERU), which is a system that can help reduce the number of suicides. Greene County Disabilities Coordinator Ellen Ritter is a member of the coalition and she believes Greene County is a great choice to tackle the problem.

“Glancing at Greene County suicide statistics, one may not think there’s too much of an issue. But honestly, in my opinion, one death by suicide in our county is one death too many. If we as a coalition can take active steps to eliminate suicides in Greene County, then it’s worth the work that we are putting into it.”

Last year the Greene County Sheriff’s Office responded to four suicide cases and ten attempted suicides. The Coalition is currently working on four goals to implement in the community. Ritter adds, their overall goal of eliminating suicides may be a lofty one, but she believes it is the ideal outcome.