KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — It’s been more than four years since the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline launched, but according to the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, suicide is a leading cause of death in Tennessee.
The Knox County Regional Forensic Center says more than 49,000 people die by suicide each year in the United States, and the forensic center investigates more than 200 suicides in East Tennessee annually. 2024 data from the CDC shows that of 48,824 suicides nationwide, Tennessee, more than 1,200 happened in Tennessee. Of those, 148 were Tennesseans between the ages of 10 and 24, according to the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth.
Per 100,000 people, Tennessee has a 16.4 suicide mortality rate, which ties with New Hampshire and West Virginia for the 21st highest mortality rate. A CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics report from April 2026 showed suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in Tennessee…