Suicide
Prevention
|
Scranton Counseling Center Mental Health Crisis
|
The Advocacy Alliance Warm Line
|
Suicide Prevention Lifeline
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
Lackawanna
County Suicide Prevention – Public Service Announcements |
||
|
Commissioner Chermak: |
District Attorney Powell: |
Director of Veteran's
Affairs Eisele: |
|
Susquehanna County Suicide
Awareness and Prevention Program |
|
|
Public Service Announcement Contest |
|
|
A message from Susquehanna County Sheriff: |
|
|
Suicide claims the lives of over
2,000 Pennsylvanians each year (according to the latest statistics) —an
average of five (5) lives each day. It is estimated that each suicide
directly and intimately affects six people. Therefore, at least 12,000
Pennsylvanians become survivors of suicide each year who have lost a loved
one, friend, co-worker, or classmate, or someone in the community to
suicide. National Statistics –
According to the latest statistics by the Center for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), over 47,000 died by suicide in the United States.
Suicide is currently the 10th leading cause of death. A suicide
happens every 11.1 minutes which is the equivalent of 129 people who die
every day. There are over 1,000,000 attempts each year. What we do
know is that suicide affects ALL ages, races, genders,
sexuality, denominations, income, and educational levels…suicide can affect
anyone and everyone. We also know that ONE SUICIDE IS
TOO MANY. Experts agree that clinical
depression is one of the biggest risk factors for suicidal thoughts.
Depression can be treated with medicine, counseling, or a combination
of the two. Approximately 80% of the people who seek help for their
depression improve with treatment. Therapies such as cognitive
behavioral and interpersonal (talk) therapy can help with depression. There
are many medications now available, or a combination of both medication and
therapy can prove to be very effective in treating depression. Remember
that if one medication does not work, it does not mean they all will not
work. Often a person must go through a period of trial and error to
find the treatment that works best for them. Suicide
may feel like a scary topic, and it can be terrifying to think that you or a
loved one may be considering it. If you or someone you know is at risk for,
or thinking about suicide, Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for immediate
help, anytime, day or night! The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline,
funded by the Federal Government, provides immediate assistance to
individuals in suicidal crisis by connecting them to the nearest crisis
center in their area. The hotline also provides help and assistance if you
are suicidal or are concerned about a friend or loved one. In the United States,
September is acknowledged as Suicide Prevention Month, with the week
of September 6th-12th identified as National Suicide Prevention Week.
Around the world, September 10th is recognized as World Suicide Prevention
Day. The goal of suicide prevention events is to draw attention to this
public health challenge and provide tools to make it easier to notice when
someone is struggling and to offer support. References: Centers for Disease Control, CDC.gov Prevent Suicide PA, preventsuicidepa.org |
|
The Lackawanna County
Suicide Prevention Alliance The
Lackawanna County Suicide Prevention Alliance seeks to create a community
that is resilient and responsive to the tragedy of suicide. Our Alliance aims
to evaluate our county’s current suicide prevention efforts, identify new
opportunities to increase awareness for evidence-based programs and
protocols, and investigate new treatment and prevention options. We will
mobilize community stakeholders to plan, prioritize and collaborate on
suicide prevention efforts that will impact this serious problem. We
recognize that Suicide is a complex issue. Mental
health conditions are often seen as the cause of suicide, but suicide is
rarely caused by any single factor. In fact, many people who die by suicide
are not known to have a diagnosed mental health condition at the time of
death, and preventing suicide takes a coordinated effort between
government, faith leaders, family, friends, law enforcement, mental health
providers, neighbors, schools, social service agencies, etc. While suicide is generally the act of an individual,
it occurs in the context of the individual’s relationships, community, larger
society, and culture in which we live. Certainly, the suicide death of an
individual has a lasting harmful impact on family, friends, coworkers, and
our community. The Lackawanna County Suicide Prevention Alliance welcomes
all members of our community to join this important discussion. We know that preventing suicide requires
community partners, multiple prevention strategies and engaging individuals
with lived experience who are bereaved by a suicide loss in planning for
suicide prevention activities. Please contact the Alliance at 570-346-5741 or sohnsd@lsbhidei.org for more
information on meeting dates and locations. |
Additional Resources:
|
Name |
Downloads |
|
Suicide Fact Sheet |
[PDF] |
|
The Surgeon General’s Call to
Action |
[PDF] |
|
PA Suicide
Prevention Plan – September, 2020 |
[PDF] |
|
PA Suicide Prevention Task Force –
Initial Report 1/14/2020 |
[PDF] |
|
Developing Effective Safety Plans |
|
|
Lackawanna County Resources |
[PDF] |
|
Susquehanna County Resources |
[PDF] |