Reduce Access to Lethal Means Project

Support for Families

Nevada’s Division of Public and Behavioral Health, Office of Suicide and Prevention (OSP) and the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Agency applied for and received funds from the Federal Coronavirus Relief Fund, the CARES Act. These funds are being used to support families with youth who are at risk for suicide.  

OSP’s Reduce Access to Lethal Means Program understands keeping firearms and medications locked up reduces the possibility of a death by suicide.  To address this, OSP is working with community agencies to provide safes and locks for firearms to families whose members who may be in crisis and at risk for suicide. 

Public Service Announcements (PSAs)

These 60-second messages are sponsored by a grant through the State of Nevada Department of Health and Human Services aired in cooperation with the Nevada Broadcasters Association as part of a campaign to reduce access to lethal means, particularly firearms. The campaign aired December 2020 through January 2021.
           Lock It Up Suicide Prevention 60 second PSA
           Prevención de suicidio, guarda el arma 60 segundos PSA

Free Safes and Locks for Firearms

To Protect Children Ages 17 and under

DCFS Mobile Crisis Response Team (MCRT)

          In Southern Nevada call: 702-486-7865
          In Northern Nevada call: 775-688-1670
          In Rural Nevada call: 702-486-7865

To Protect Adults and Other Questions about Locks and Safes

In Northern Nevada contact the Office of Suicide Prevention (OSP) at 775-684-2240.
In Southern Nevada contact Richard Egan, OSP Training an Outreach Facilitator at 702-486-8225.

Firearm Statistics

  • Nevada law prohibits youth from unsupervised access to firearms. Yet historically, about a dozen youth die each year by suicide using firearms.
  • Over recent years, suicide has been the #1 cause of death for secondary school age youth.
  • For years, suicide has been the 2nd leading cause of death for youth 15-24 years old in Nevada.
  • According to the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer, in recent years about $2.6 million worth of firearms are stolen annually in Nevada. Only about 26% of those firearms are recovered.
  • Historically, over 343 persons per year die by suicide with a firearm in Nevada.
  • Experts are predicting Nevada’s suicide rate to increase in 2020-21.