The fight against the highest suicide rate in the state continues in St. Tammany Parish, where officials Tuesday released a one-year update on the success of the Suicide Prevention Initiative. 

Although the actual rate of people taking their own lives dropped only slightly, officials are very encouraged about the people who are being assisted in the program.

John Tobin is Director the St. Tammany Department of Health and Human Services, and he is optimistic.

''Among the people that chose to participate in the program, who had attempted suicide, we haven't had one repeat attempt, not one and that's phenomenal," said Tobin.

Listen to John Tobin, Director the St. Tammany Department of Health and Human Services:


The 211 help number is also assisting family members who don't know what to do about a crisis said Tobin.

''If a person in need calls 211 we can direct them to the resources that has counseling available," he said.

Tobin said they continue to research why the suicide rate is so high in St. Tammany, they do know that 78 percent of the crisis calls are from whites, only 10 percent from blacks.

Tobin said that the crisis response team is being activated an average of eight times a week with the most activity between January and March.