Nashville and Davidson County
Cleanup after a suicide
We are sorry for your loss. No one in the family should have to clean the room. An independent cleanup company can do it quietly and with care, whenever you are ready.
Answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Take your time
Nothing has to be decided today
Close the door to the room. Police and the medical examiner's office finish their work first. After that, the call can wait until you have the strength for it.
When you call, a few words are enough to describe what happened. You are only asked what is needed to arrange the work.
What to expect
How the cleanup usually goes
A short visit
The company looks at the room and tells you what has to be removed.
Your belongings
Tell them what to keep. What can be cleaned is cleaned; anything else is removed only with your agreement.
The cleanup
The room is sealed off while the work is done. You do not need to be there.
Afterwards
Ask them to walk you through what was taken out, so there are no surprises when you go back in.
Support
People you can call
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988. Available 24/7/365, and conversations are confidential.
Source: 988lifeline.org
Davidson County Medical Examiner
Forensic Medical Management Services has run medical examiner services for Metro Nashville and Davidson County under an agreement since 1997. Office: 850 R.S. Gass Blvd., Nashville, (615) 743-1800, open to the public weekdays 8:00 to 4:30. An investigator and a medical examiner take death reports 24 hours a day.
Sources: Forensic Medical, Forensic Medical FAQ
Your own doctor
Grief after a suicide can be heavy. A family doctor can help you find counseling close to home.
Questions
Questions people ask
Do I have to be there for the cleanup?
No. Many families hand over a key and come back once it is finished.
Will the neighbors know why the company is there?
Ask the company whether they can come in unmarked vehicles.
Can Tennessee's victim compensation program help?
The program is for victims of violent crime, so it usually does not apply after a suicide. Homeowner insurance sometimes does; ask your insurer.
Around Nashville
Nearby towns on the line
Each page lists the ZIP codes covered and the county the town sits in.
Whenever you are ready
There is no wrong time to call
Some families call the same evening. Others wait until after the service. Until then, close the door to the room and leave the cleaning to people with the right protection.
Speak with a cleanup company
The call is put through to an independent company that works in your ZIP code. Ask what the job involves, how they price it and when they could begin. Nothing is agreed until you say so.
Call (615) 916-5290Answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Calls may be recorded by the call-routing service. Referral disclosure · Privacy