Chihuahua expands suicide‑prevention program in prisons as suicide deaths rise

The Chihuahua state health secretariat, through the Institute of Mental Health (Ichisam), launched a suicide‑prevention program in the state’s social reintegration centers (Ceresos). The initiative trains prison guards and custodial staff to recognize risk factors, detect warning signs, respond to crises and provide Psychological First Aid. Selected inmates receive sessions to strengthen active listening, identify risk signals and refer peers for mental‑health care, under the "Guardianes de la Vida" program.

Meanwhile, the municipal Institute of Prevention and Attention to Health (Impas) reported 58 suicides this year, despite 307 crisis‑intervention calls to its 24‑hour "Hablar Salva Vidas" hotline. More than 80 % of callers seeking help are women, while most deaths are among men. Impas also runs preventive actions in schools, workplaces and community centers, offering risk‑factor detection, psychological first‑aid training and emotional‑well‑being programs such as "Chihuahua Actúa".