County supports suicide prevention, awareness

By Marc Robertson - Editor | September 17, 2025

SPECIAL FEATURE

Woman’s Club joins judge, advocacy groups in promoting education, intervention

La Salle County government leaders joined members of the Cotulla Woman’s Club, local advocates and civic representatives Wednesday, September 10, in heralding Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month with a pledge to improve public understanding and intervention measures.
“Each year, thousands of lives are lost to suicide, lives of children, parents, veterans, professionals, students, people from all walks of life,” La Salle County Judge Leodoro Martinez said at the ceremony in the county’s district courtroom. “And behind every statistic is a grieving family, a shaken community, and often silent questions of ‘Why?’ or ‘What could we have done?’
“As a judge, I have seen first hand the deep impacts of mental health struggles within our legal system,” Martinez said. “I’ve seen people in crisis fall through the cracks. I’ve seen the pain of those left behind. And I’ve seen how stigma, shame and silence can be as deadly as any weapon. But I have also seen the power of compassion. I’ve seen how one conversation, one helping hand, one act of kindness, can be a turning point.
“Suicide is not a moral failing,” the county judge added. “It is not weakness. It is often the result of pain that feels unbearable and unseen. Let me be clear: help is available, and hope is real. This month, and every month, we must commit ourselves to being a society that listens without judgment, supports without condition, and acts without hesitation when someone is in need.”
The judge was joined by local leaders in offering public encouragement to “to speak openly about mental health, to seek help without fear.”
“We want people experiencing this pain and difficulty to know that they are not alone,” the judge said. “Whether it’s in our homes, our schools, our workplaces, or even in our courtrooms, there is space for healing.”
The county’s proclamation in support of Suicide Prevention & Awareness Month cites the US Centers for Disease Control, which reported that in one recent year alone an estimated 13.2 million American adults contemplated suicide, and furthermore 3.8 million planned a suicide and 1.6 million attempted it.
The figures indicate that adult suicide attempts in one year represented nearly one half a percent of all Americans of all ages.
“Many factors can lead someone to consider suicide,” the month’s proclamation noted. “Suicide continues to affect communities across the world, creating a critical need to raise awareness about prevention. It is more important than ever to educate people on what factors contribute and lead to suicide attempts and deaths and encourage people to support one another.”
The month’s designation is aimed at helping raise the visibility of mental health resources.
“Effective suicide prevention involves actively connecting and reaching out to individuals who may be struggling,” the county judge read from his proclamation. “This effort requires educational awareness of warnings signs, linking survivors and loved ones to helpful resources, providing guidance on supporting a struggling loved one, and de-stigmatizing the emotional and psychological challenges often preceding suicidal thoughts or attempts.
“We must promote suicide prevention resources, reduce social isolation, honor survivors, and remember those lost to suicide,” Martinez said.
Among those recognized for their continuing service as “on the front lines of a battle to open minds, save lives and restore hope” were members of the Woman’s Club, the Camino Real Community Services agency, the school district and local law enforcement agencies and first responders.
If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out,” the county judge said. “Call or text 988 – the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Help is there 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“Let us be brave enough to face this issue,” Martinez added. “Let us be kind enough to carry each other through it. And let us work together to create a community where every life is valued, every voice is heard, and every person knows they matter.”