A total of 3,005 persons hospitalized because of a depressive or suicidal state were contacted 30 days after discharge about follow-up treatment. A total of 843 patients who had refused ongoing care were divided into 2 groups: persons in one group were contacted by letter at least four times a year for 5 years. The control group received no further contact. Suicide rates between groups were compared. Patients in the contact group had a lower suicide rate in all 5 years of the study. Formal survival analysis revealed a significantly lower rate in the contact group for the first 2 years; differences in rates gradually diminished & by year 14, no differences were observed between the groups.