Free gun locks, locking medicine boxes available for suicide prevention

The Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board is giving away free gun locks and locking medication boxes as part of an effort to help families make their homes safer.

Limiting access to firearms and toxic medications for a person in crisis is an essential strategy for preventing suicide.

Studies show individuals are three times more likely to die by suicide when firearms are accessible. The majority of people who die by suicide use firearms (61 percent) or poisons (19 percent).

The CSB’s Wellness, Health Promotion and Prevention department is distributing free cable and trigger locks and lockboxes as part of the Lock and Talk Northern Virginia program.

In addition to providing a safe storage solution, Lock and Talk is also aimed at educating the community about how to recognize and respond to suicide warning signs. The best strategy for protecting a person at risk is to remove firearms from the home until a mental health crisis is resolved.

Email [email protected] for more information on obtaining the free locks.

If you or someone you care about might be at risk of suicide, call PRS CrisisLink 703-527-4077 or text “connect” to 855-11. If a situation is immediately life-threatening, call 911 and ask for a crisis intervention team officer.