BRATTLEBORO — A Hospice counselor may tell you that the most difficult people to recruit for a support group are bereaved parents and people who have lost a loved one to suicide. They cannot imagine anyone understanding the depth of their pain. Imagine being the parent of a child who died by suicide and you will have an idea of the impact that effective youth suicide prevention can have.
The stories are heartbreaking.
Last year at Cornell University, the suicide deaths of six students over a period of two semesters stunned the campus community.
In South Hadley, Mass., six teenagers have been charged in connection with the case of Phoebe Prince, who killed herself earlier this year after being bullied by her peers.
In Palo Alto, Calif., “psychological autopsies” are being conducted in an effort to understand the suicide deaths of five high school students at the local railroad tracks between May 2009 and January 2010.
The recent suicide death of a bullied Rutgers student highlights the vulnerability of gay and lesbian youth.
In Vermont, suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth aged 15 to 23.
For the past year, a statewide initiative called Umatter has been offering school and community based trainings in youth suicide prevention. The Center for Health and Learning (CHL) in partnership with the Vermont Department of Mental Health under a grant from the SAMHSA Garret Lee Smith Memorial Act funding has been coordinating the trainings and other projects, including the formation of the Vermont Youth Suicide Prevention Coalition.
This fall, CHL is launching a statewide public awareness campaign that emphasizes the need for breaking the silence and reducing the stigma that often surround mental health problems and stresses the importance of building resiliency in youth.
“Anyone can experience mental health problems,” says Brian Remer, Project Manager of the Umatter initiative. “And yet the stigma associated with the illness can be just as challenging as the illness itself. Our job is to help kids identify their assets and resources. We want them to know that feeling depressed is a common experience and that asking for help is not a sign of weakness but an act of courage. At the same time we want to equip the adults in their lives-parents, teachers and school staff, faith leaders, first responders, primary care physicians, youth workers - with the knowledge and skills to provide appropriate intervention.”
Remer regards youth suicide prevention as a public health issue and a community effort that begins with positive youth development.
“The message of Umatter is that within the context of family, friends and community, everyone has a meaningful place in the 'big picture.' Youth should be encouraged to discover the gifts and talents they possess, to see how they might contribute to the lives and well-being of others and to identify the things they feel passionate about.”
The Umatter public awareness campaign, which launched in September to coincide with Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, began with a mailing to every middle and high school in the state of Vermont.
The mailing included posters, brochures and wallet cards with information for students about the warning signs and appropriate responses to suicidal behavior. A similar mailing with profession-specific posters and brochures is going out to community based professionals who are likely to come into contact with suicidal youth.
An extensive, ongoing media campaign features ads for regional and community newspapers, web banners for state agency and professional web sites, inserts for school web sites and newsletters, radio spots and Public Service Announcements, a YouTube video for viral distribution and a Facebook campaign.
CHL has also introduced two websites, UmatterUCanHelp.com for adult gatekeepers and UmatterUCanGetHelp.com for youth. In the meantime, Center for Health and Learning continues to offer regional and on-site gatekeeper trainings for educators, students and professionals.
If you or someone you know is at risk of suicide, contact your community mental health center or call 2-1-1 in Vermont or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255. For more information on reducing the risk of youth suicide in your community or attending a gatekeeper training, visit www.UmatterUCanHelp.com or contact the Center for Health and Learning at 802-254-6590.