Published

February 11, 2026

Introduction

This report highlights key trends in suicide-related deaths and emergency department visits by Snohomish County residents 8 years and older to Washington state hospitals. This information is presented to support program planning and public health intervention implementation by the Snohomish County Health Department.

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Key Takeaways

  1. Suicidal-ideation ED visits peaked in 2019 and suicide-attempt ED visits peaked in 2021, with both measures trending downward through 2024–2025. Suicide deaths followed a similar pattern, reaching peak levels in 2017 and 2021 before falling to their lowest level in 2024.
  2. Youth ages 8–17 recorded the highest shares of suicidal-ideation and suicide-attempt visits historically, and young adults (18–24 and 25–29) consistently had the highest population-adjusted rates across both recent and historical periods.
  3. Females experienced higher burdens of suicidal-ideation and suicide-attempt ED visits, while males accounted for the large majority of suicide deaths and have a suicide mortality rate nearly three times higher than females.
  4. American Indian/Alaska Native residents consistently experienced the highest population rates of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, far exceeding other groups, while Black, non-Hispanic residents showed the second-highest rates across multiple indicators.
  5. Adolescents remained the most frequently affected group, females continued to bear greater nonfatal burdens, and American Indian/Alaska Native and Black residents maintain disproportionately elevated rates relative to population size.

Historical Data

Date Ranges:

January 01, 2019 to December 31, 2024

Suicidal Ideation ED Visits

31,062

Suicide Attempt ED Visits

7,522

Suicide Deaths

694

Age Group

Interpretation

• Across all years, adolescents and teenagers (ages 8–17) carried the greatest burden of suicide-related emergency care. They recorded 7,439 suicidal-ideation ED visits (24%) and 2,301 suicide-attempt ED visits (31%)—the highest share of any age group—while experiencing the lowest number of suicide deaths (20). When adjusting for population size, this group had one of the highest burdens: the second-highest rate of suicidal-ideation ED visits (1,145 per 100,000) and the highest suicide-attempt ED visit rate (354 per 100,000).

• Young adults aged 18–24 also showed high levels of suicide-related emergency care. They had the highest rate of suicidal-ideation ED visits at 1,255 per 100,000 residents and the second-highest suicide-attempt rate at 324 per 100,000.

• Although adults aged 50–59 accounted for a relatively small proportion of suicidal-ideation ED visits (10%) and suicide-attempt visits (8%), they shared the highest suicide death rate—20 per 100,000 residents—with adults aged 25–29. The 25–29 age group recorded slightly higher visit shares (10% for ideation and 9% for attempts) but matched 50–59-year-olds in mortality risk.

  • * refers to estimates with small counts (1 to 9) that have been suppressed to preserve privacy. See the Data Notes section for more information.
  • ! represents population rates that have been suppressed due to not meeting statistical precision thresholds.
  • * refers to estimates with small counts (1 to 9) that have been suppressed to preserve privacy. See the Data Notes section for more information.
  • ! represents population rates that have been suppressed due to not meeting statistical precision thresholds.

Sex

Interpretation

• Across all years, females experienced a greater overall burden of suicide-related ED visits. They accounted for 16,400 suicidal-ideation visits (53%), compared with 14,622 visits among males (47%).

• A clearer contrast emerges in suicide-attempt ED visits. Females made up 61% of all suicide attempt-related visits (4,613 visits), with a rate of 201 per 100,000 residents—substantially higher than the male rate of 128 per 100,000 across 2,903 visits (39%).

• Males experienced the overwhelming majority of suicide deaths, with 519 deaths (75%) and a death rate of 23 per 100,000 residents—nearly three times the female death rate of 8 per 100,000 across 173 deaths (25%).

  • * refers to estimates with small counts (1 to 9) that have been suppressed to preserve privacy. See the Data Notes section for more information.
  • ! represents population rates that have been suppressed due to not meeting statistical precision thresholds.
  • * refers to estimates with small counts (1 to 9) that have been suppressed to preserve privacy. See the Data Notes section for more information.
  • ! represents population rates that have been suppressed due to not meeting statistical precision thresholds.

Race Ethnicity

Interpretation

• Across all years, White, non-Hispanic residents made up the majority of suicidal-ideation ED visits (22,062 visits, 71%), suicide-attempt ED visits (5,246 visits, 70%), and suicide-related deaths (545 deaths, 79%). This pattern aligns with their larger share of the county’s adult population. Even so, their burden remained substantial: they recorded the third-highest rates of suicidal-ideation ED visits (748 per 100,000) and suicide-attempt ED visits (178 per 100,000), and they had the highest suicide death rate across all groups at 18 per 100,000 residents.

• American Indian/Alaska Native residents carried the greatest relative impact. Although they accounted for only 2% of suicidal-ideation ED visits (618 visits) and 2% of suicide-attempt ED visits (179 visits), they had the highest population rates of any racial or ethnic group—1,429 suicidal-ideation ED visits and 414 suicide-attempt ED visits per 100,000 residents.

• Black, non-Hispanic residents experienced the second highest levels of suicide-related emergency care. They recorded the second-highest suicidal-ideation ED visit rate at 1,211 per 100,000 residents and had a suicide-attempt ED visit rate of 270 per 100,000.

  • * refers to estimates with small counts (1 to 9) that have been suppressed to preserve privacy. See the Data Notes section for more information.
  • ! represents population rates that have been suppressed due to not meeting statistical precision thresholds.
  • * refers to estimates with small counts (1 to 9) that have been suppressed to preserve privacy. See the Data Notes section for more information.
  • ! represents population rates that have been suppressed due to not meeting statistical precision thresholds.

Recent Data

Date Ranges:

January 01, 2025 to December 31, 2025

Suicidal Ideation ED Visits

4,781

Suicide Attempt ED Visits

1,161

Age Group

Interpretation

• Adolescents and teenagers (ages 8–17) accounted for the largest share of suicide-related ED visits, recording 1,013 suicidal-ideation visits (21%) and 312 suicide-attempt visits (27%). Adults ages 30–39 followed closely, with 908 ideation visits (19%) and 201 attempt visits (17%).

• For suicide attempts, young adults ages 18–24 had the highest rate at 327 per 100,000 residents, followed by adolescents ages 8–17 at 278 per 100,000.

• For suicidal ideation, the pattern shifts slightly: adults ages 25-29 had the highest rate at 1,030 per 100,000 residents, with adults ages 18-24 nearly identical at 1,016 per 100,000.

  • * refers to estimates with small counts (1 to 9) that have been suppressed to preserve privacy. See the Data Notes section for more information.
  • ! represents population rates that have been suppressed due to not meeting statistical precision thresholds.
  • * refers to estimates with small counts (1 to 9) that have been suppressed to preserve privacy. See the Data Notes section for more information.
  • ! represents population rates that have been suppressed due to not meeting statistical precision thresholds.

Sex

Interpretation

• Females accounted for just over half of all suicidal-ideation ED visits, with 2,506 visits (52%) and a rate of 633 per 100,000 residents, slightly higher than the male rate of 584 per 100,000 across 2,268 visits (47%).

• Females also represented the majority of suicide-attempt ED visits, recording 710 visits (61%) compared to 449 visits among males (39%). Their rate of suicide-attempt ED visits—179 per 100,000 residents—was the highest, highlighting a greater nonfatal self-harm burden among women.

  • * refers to estimates with small counts (1 to 9) that have been suppressed to preserve privacy. See the Data Notes section for more information.
  • ! represents population rates that have been suppressed due to not meeting statistical precision thresholds.
  • * refers to estimates with small counts (1 to 9) that have been suppressed to preserve privacy. See the Data Notes section for more information.
  • ! represents population rates that have been suppressed due to not meeting statistical precision thresholds.

Race Ethnicity

Interpretation

• White, non-Hispanic residents accounted for most suicide-related emergency department visits, including 3,405 visits for suicidal ideation (71%) and 795 visits for suicide attempts (68%). While this aligns with their larger share of the county’s adult population, their visit rates were the third highest, 690 per 100,000 for suicidal ideation and 161 per 100,000 for suicide attempts.

• American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic residents experienced the greatest relative burden. Although they represented only 102 suicidal-ideation visits (2%) and 22 suicide-attempt visits (2%), they had the highest population rates: 1,438 suicidal-ideation visits per 100,000 residents and 310 suicide-attempt visits per 100,000.

• Black, non-Hispanic residents also experienced elevated rates of suicide-related ED visits. They accounted for 262 suicidal-ideation visits (5%) and 73 suicide-attempt visits (6%), with the second-highest rates among reported groups—902 per 100,000 for suicidal ideation and 251 per 100,000 for suicide attempts.

  • * refers to estimates with small counts (1 to 9) that have been suppressed to preserve privacy. See the Data Notes section for more information.
  • ! represents population rates that have been suppressed due to not meeting statistical precision thresholds.
  • * refers to estimates with small counts (1 to 9) that have been suppressed to preserve privacy. See the Data Notes section for more information.
  • ! represents population rates that have been suppressed due to not meeting statistical precision thresholds.

Public Health Resources

Preventing firearm injuries and deaths starts with awareness, action, and community collaboration. Safe storage is a crucial step—this means locking firearms, storing ammunition separately, and using trigger locks to prevent unauthorized access. If you or a loved one is experiencing a mental health crisis, call 988—the free, confidential Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7 in over 240 languages.

In times of crisis, especially when someone is experiencing depression, suicidal thoughts, or substance use issues, consider removing firearms from the home temporarily. The University of Washington’s Firearm Injury & Policy Research Program offers a map of safe storage sites across Washington. Legal tools like Voluntary Do-Not-Sell agreements or Extreme Risk Protection Orders can also temporarily restrict firearm access for those at high risk of harm.

Snohomish County Lock It Up is dedicated to building safer communities by promoting the secure storage of firearms. Safe firearm storage saves lives. We provide free lock boxes, trigger locks, and cable locks, along with tips and tools to help you store firearms securely. Through community events and partnerships with local law enforcement, we’re working to make our homes and neighborhoods safer—one lock at a time.

Washington’s Suicide Prevention Plan emphasizes the shared role we all play in promoting behavioral health and reducing suicide risk. Key strategies include limiting access to lethal means and training healthcare professionals to talk about suicide risk and safe firearm storage. Since 2014, Washington has led efforts to require suicide prevention training for health professionals and has passed laws to improve firearm safety. These efforts are strengthened by partnerships with organizations like the Safer Homes Coalition, Seattle Children’s Hospital, and Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center—all working together to educate the public and promote responsible firearm practices.

The Snohomish County Children’s Wellness Coalition Suicide Prevention Task Force is collaborative effort dedicated to reducing youth suicide, ideation, planning, and attempts across the county. This working group aims to strengthen and support suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention strategies while fostering a more connected and responsive network of care for youth.

Through partnerships with the Washington State Department of Health, Forefront Suicide Prevention at the University of Washington, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Riverside Trauma Center, and other leading organizations, the Task Force works to coordinate regional efforts, provide targeted support beyond school hours, and address critical gaps in policy and practice. We offer technical assistance, training, and opportunities for youth voice to ensure communities are equipped with the tools and understanding needed to reduce risk factors and promote protective ones. Join us in building a future where every young person feels seen, supported, and safe. To learn more about our work, please visit us at General 4 — Snohomish County Children’s Wellness Coalition.

To access more Snohomish County specific health data, please visit the Snohomish County Health Department Data & Reports webpage.

Data Notes

This report uses three main types of measures:

  1. Counts – The total number of times the event occurred (such as emergency department visits or deaths) related to the specific condition of interest being monitored.

Example: Patients 17 and under had 100 ED visits and patients 18 and older had 300 ED visits for the condition of interest.

  1. Percentages – The portion of all events that occurred within a specific group of people. This helps show how different groups are affected relative to the whole.

Example: Patients 17 and under had 100 ED visits (25%) and patients 18 and older had 300 ED visits (75%) for the condition of interest. How it’s calculated: (Number of events in a group ÷ Total number of events) × 100

  1. Population Rates – A way to compare how often events happen in different groups, taking into account the population or size of each group. This helps identify whether the condition of interest is more or less common in one group compared to another.

How it’s calculated: (Number of events in a group ÷ Number of people in that group) × 100,000

Emergency Department Data

  • Emergency Department data presented within this report is from the Rapid Health Information NetwOrk (RHINO) program at the Washington State Department of Health, which is responsible for the collection, analysis, and dissemination of syndromic surveillance data, also known as healthcare encounter data, for the state of Washington.
  • This data represents the number of emergency department visits related to the condition of interest for people living in Snohomish County and sought care at a non-federal emergency department in Washington state.
  • Emergency Department data is available in near-real time.

Death Data

  • Death data presented within this report is from Washington resident death certificates. Specifically, the data was accessed via the Washington State Department of Health Center for Health Statistics (CHS) Annual Death Data Files.
  • This data represents the number of deaths of Snohomish County residents both inside and outside of Washington state due to the condition of interest.
  • The death data presented in this report reflect records that have complete data elements. These counts are considered the most accurate available at the time of reporting. However, totals may change as additional information is completed and validated.
  • Finalized death data is released annually for population health analysis, typically ~9 months after the end of the calendar year.

Population Data

  • Population data presented within this report is from official population estimates (derived from US Census Data) from the Washington Office of Financial Management (OFM). Specifically, the data was accessed via the Washington State Department of Health Community Health Assessment Tool’s (CHAT) Population module.
  • This data represents the number of people living within Snohomish County.
  • If population estimates are not available for a time period in the report, the most recent available population estimate will be utilized.

Emergency Department Data

  • Suicidal Ideation ED visits are identified by the CDC Suicidal Ideation v1 Chief Complaint-Discharge Diagnosis (CCDD) category which searches for the presence of suicidal ideation-related free-text (examples: Suicidal Ideation, Going to suicide) and ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes (examples: R45.851) in the Chief Complaint and Discharge Diagnosis fields of the ED visit record.
  • Suicide Attempt ED visits are identifed by the CDC Suicide Attempt v1 Chief Complaint-Discharge (CCDD) category which searches for the presence of suicide attempt-related free-text (examples: Attempt, tried to end life) and ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes (examples: T14.91, X71-X83) in the Chief Complaint and Discharge Diagnosis fields of the ED visit record.
  • The data may not reflect the exact number of ED visits attributed to firearm injuries due to 1) differences in coding or reporting over time or between hospitals or 2) patients having symptoms that are non-specific or do not match search criteria.

Death Data

  • Deaths are classified using the underlying cause of death ICD-10 codes on death certificates. The underlying cause of death is defined as “(a) the disease or injury which initiated the train of morbid events leading directly to death, or (b) the circumstances of the accident or violence which produced the fatal injury.”
  • Suicide deaths are identified by the presence of the following ICD-10 Cause of Death codes within death certificates: X60-X84, Y87.0