MILWAUKEE – On Monday, May 18, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and Milwaukee County Chief Health Policy Advisor Dr. Ben Weston, alongside the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) and Greater Milwaukee Foundation (GMF), previewed a new report entitled “Trends in Milwaukee County Suicides Pre-Post COVID-19.” The report set out to examine the demographics, mechanisms, and locations of those dying by suicide and compare patterns before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The research analysis for the report was sponsored by the GMF, with partnership provided by Milwaukee County in the development of the evaluation.

Suicide remains a significant public health concern in the United States. Nationally, suicide is one of the leading causes of death among adults, and for young people between the ages of 10 and 24 it is the second leading cause of death. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, suicide deaths fell 5.6% nationally from 2019 to 2020. However, by 2022, suicide deaths had risen 3% nationally from the prior year. While national trends have fluctuated during the COVID-19 pandemic, the local impact on suicide patterns remained incompletely understood.

“In Milwaukee County, we’ve worked hard to prioritize mental health services,” said County Executive Crowley. “Studies, such as this one, are crucial because it tells us where to direct resources so they are reaching our residents who need them the most and we can save more lives. I’m grateful to the Medical College of Wisconsin for the research that makes that possible, and to the Greater Milwaukee Foundation for sponsoring this study and for their continued partnership and dedication to this work.”

The study analyzed 2,512 suicide deaths in Milwaukee County between 2002 and 2024. During that period, annual suicide deaths ranged from 87 deaths in 2002 to a peak of 156 deaths in 2017. The study found that overall suicide rates in Milwaukee County did not change significantly after COVID-19, but who is dying, and how, did shift.

The data show increases in the proportion of male decedents, changes in racial distribution, greater representation of adults over 65, and a higher use of firearms. Pre-COVID-19 (2002 through March 2020), Milwaukee County experienced 1,945 suicide deaths, 76.1% of which were male, 13.8% were Black, and 12.4% were 65 years or older. Post-COVID-19 (March 2020 through 2024), those numbers increased to 80.3% male, 19.7% Black, and 19.1% 65 years or older.

“This report represents more than two decades of work and collaboration. It reflects what is possible when public institutions, healthcare systems, researchers, and community partners work together toward a shared goal,” said Dr. Weston. “If better data, stronger partnerships, and more targeted interventions can help even one person find the support they need before it’s too late, then this work matters.”

Additionally, the use of firearms increased from 40.2% of suicide mechanisms pre-COVID-19 to 51.4% post-COVID-19. Milwaukee County’s increase in firearm-related suicide deaths is slightly higher than national averages. This data underscores the crucial need to invest in safe storage interventions, such as continued access to free gun locks, to provide education in firearm safety, and to advocate for common sense gun laws, such as firearm purchase waiting periods.

“When research, like the analysis that Dr. Weston and our team recently completed, highlights certain nuances of what is happening among vulnerable populations in our community, we must respond,” said Dr. Sara Kohlbeck, Director of Suicide Research and Healing in the Comprehensive Injury Center at MCW. “At the Medical College of Wisconsin’s Comprehensive Injury Center, we have a history of conducting research that examines disparities in suicide in our community to better inform more tailored and relevant prevention strategies. Together, with our partners, we’re continually working to provide a cross-sector, collaborative approach in Milwaukee County that is positive and effectual, as well as culturally responsive.”

The preliminary draft report, “Trends in Milwaukee County Suicides Pre-Post COVID-19,” is available to access via this link.