If you have known someone who has committed suicide, you know that the wounds suffered by friends and family never heal.
They search for answers and question what more they could have done to have prevented the tragedy.
Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. More people die from suicide than from kidney disease or Parkinson's. An American commits suicide every 13 minutes. That's 110 people per day.
Newspaper records show that 10 people have committed suicide in Lancaster County thus far this year. That is fewer than last year at this time when 23 people had killed themselves. All told, there were 46 suicides in Lancaster County in 2013.
Since December, however, three people have jumped to their deaths from the Prince Street Parking Garage. It has become a magnet for those seeking to kill themselves.
That led Lancaster Parking Authority officials to arrange a meeting with mental health professionals, Lancaster city police, the mayor's office and community members to discuss what can be done.
One possible solution would seem to be fencing at the garage to prevent people from jumping. But after the meeting, the authority said it won't install barriers because "The mental health folks quickly said, 'No, (fencing) doesn't work. There's no conclusive evidence it does work, there's no reduction in suicide,'" said authority Chairman Mark Vergenes.
Still it's difficult to believe a fence around the top of a parking garage is a worthless idea because it doesn't get to the root causes of mental illness.
Instead, the authority will offer training to employees on how to recognize the symptoms of depression and help those persons find help.
The underlying causes of suicide are many and complex. Depression, low self-esteem, substance abuse and isolation all play a role. And the nation's failure to adequately fund and treat mental illness is a major reason why suicide rates are so high.
Warning signs for suicide include talking about killing or harming oneself, talking or writing a lot about death or dying and seeking out things that could be used in a suicide attempt, such as weapons and drugs.
That's of added concern if the person has a mood disorder, such as bipolar disorder or is dependent on drugs or alcohol or if there is a history of suicide in a family or among friends.
A recent Health Summit held in Lancaster highlighted the need for more screenings and treatments. Prevention, noted James Schmucker and Colleen Elmer in an op-ed, becomes more effective "when we provide more economic opportunity, which addresses poverty and homelessness."
The recent spate of suicides at the Prince Street Garage demands action. Getting to the root of the problem will take longer, but opening avenues of communication for agencies, institutions and individuals to work together is a sound beginning.