Suicide has consistently ranked 8th or 9th for the last few decades. Each year, 30,000 lives are lost to this tragedy; another 650,000 receive emergency care after suicide attempts. An estimated 200,000 persons are further affected by the loss of a loved one, friend or acquaintance by suicide.In a document prepared as part of the World Health Organization's initiative for the prevention of suicide (SUPRE), suicide is a serious, worldwide health problem that demands attention but its prevention and control are no easy task. "State-of-the-art research indicates that the prevention of suicide, while feasible, involves a whole series of activities, ranging from the provision of the best possible conditions for bringing up children, through the effective treatment of mental disorders, to the environmental control of risk factors. Appropriate dissemination of information and awareness raising are essential elements in the success of suicide prevention programs." There are no firm consensus on the true dollar costs of suicide, however, one economic analysis estimated the total economic burden in the U.S. in 1995 to be $111.3 billion; this includes medical expenses of $3.7 billion, work-related losses of $27.4 billion and quality of life costs of $80.2 billion (National Strategy for Suicide Prevention, Miller et al, 1999)While national data provide an overall view of the problem, state and local rates vary considerably for a number of factors including sampling sizes as well as state-to-state variations in mandated reporting requirements.For more information on suicide, see the National Institute for Mental Health's publication on Suicide Facts.