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Maternal Suicide Awareness Week

Maternal Suicide Awareness week is held Saturday-Friday. surrounding World Suicide Prevention day, September 10, each year. (World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) is organized by the International Association for Suicide Prevention. September is recognized as Suicide Prevention month.

2024 Maternal Suicide Awareness week
Saturday, September 7 – Friday, September 13 2024

Policy Center and Maternal Suicide Awareness

Each year the Policy Center share facts about maternal suicide in September, during maternal suicide awareness week on social media and hosts a webinar or congressional briefing to share the latest maternal suicide statistics and systems and policy recommendations. 

Learn more about Maternal Sucide in the U.S, through the Maternal Suicide resource page.

History of Maternal Suicide Awareness Week

  • The Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health (then 2020 Mom) launched the U.S. Maternal Suicide Awareness Week in 2018 to raise awareness of:
    • Maternal suicide as one of the leading causes of maternal mortality and opportunities, and 
    • The need to improve tracking of maternal suicides, screening and prevention
  • From  2018 and through 2022, the Policy Center published daily social media facts, and produced a social media toolkit to further promote awareness. 
  • From 2015 to 2024, the Policy Center maintained the Maternal Suicide Memorial/Rememberance wall to honor the lives lost and families left behind. An annual candlight vigil was held during suicide awareness week.
    • In 2024 the memorial wall and social media awareness campaign was officially handed over to the non-profit, Cherished Mom.
  • In 2020, the Policy Center produced it’s first issue brief detailing maternal suicide in the U.S.. hosting a unveiling webinar and annual webinar or congressional briefing each year their after.