A lack of cooperation among some county coroners continues to hinder the Montana Suicide Review Team’s ability to examine the factors contributing to the state’s suicide rate, among the highest in the nation.
One of the biggest barriers for the volunteer team has been securing consistent and complete reports from county coroners, said Karl Rosston, Montana’s suicide prevention coordinator. When done well, coroner’s reports lay out in detail the sequence of events that led to a suicide, he said.
Some reports are rich with detail and even include photos, Rosston said. Others are sparsely completed with one-word answers.
“It’s ridiculous,” Rosston said. “It’s frustrating. There is still something that holds people back from looking at this issue. I have to believe it’s the stigma associated with suicide and mental illness.”
The reluctance to complete the one-page questionnaire hinders the team’s ability to form a comprehensive suicide-prevention plan, he said.
For more than 30 years, Montana health officials have had to speculate about the causes of the state’s high suicide rate. The Suicide Review Team is mining death certificates for concrete data, hoping to identify risk factors and causes of suicide without overwhelming coroners.
The seven-member team, appointed in 2013 by Gov. Steve Bullock, is the first of its kind in the nation. As the trailblazer, Rosston said, he appreciates that the process will need time to evolve. But, he added, participation should be 100 percent.
Greg Kirkwood, president of the state Coroners Association, said he broached the subject with coroners earlier this month during a board of directors meeting.
“Most are receptive to helping, but some don’t understand the governor’s mandate,” Kirkwood said. “They want to know who wants this information and why.”
Rosston said he sent all coroners a letter a year ago explaining the law that created the team and its purpose.
“We’re trying to change a mentality that’s been around for 100 years,” he said. “It will take time.”
Kirkwood wants Rosston to attend the Montana Coroners Association meeting in May in Lewistown to answer questions; Rosston said he will attend. Additionally, Rosston will address the issue with new coroners attending the Law Enforcement Training Academy in December.
Since Jan. 1, there have been 210 confirmed suicides. The team has received forms for about 70 percent of them. Only half of the forms provided enough information to complete a review of the suicide, Rosston said.
Rosston
