September is Suicide Prevention Month, and while suicide prevention is something we should focus on all year, we take this time each year to give special attention to the cause and renew our passion and commitment for the work.
According to a public perception study conducted by the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, 95% of people responded they would do something if someone close to them was thinking about suicide. Of those who responded they would do something, 70% identified barriers that keep them from discussing suicide with others. For this reason, we are highlighting the American Association of Suicidology (AAS) theme, “______ is suicide prevention.”
We all know that suicide can be a scary topic, and sometimes it can feel like preventing suicide requires years of education and is something only professionals can do. However, we wanted to break down the barriers to action by reminding people that suicide prevention is about the little things we can all do every single day. Throughout the month, our team shared what suicide prevention is to them through social media highlights on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We also invited others to share, using the hashtags #GeorgiaPreventsSuicide and #SPM21.
During Suicide Prevention Month the team also hosted several trainings, including, Question. Persuade. Refer. (QPR) Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training; Assessing & Managing Suicide Risk (AMSR) New Leader Training; and Connect Postvention Training. Our Director, Rachael Holloman, co-hosted a webinar with Dr. Angela Powell Smith to discuss Suicide Prevention Awareness and Support Strategies for Criminal Justice and other Community Settings.
Based on data received from the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) regarding an increase in suicide attempts among adolescent females, our team identified a need for an event to raise awareness, provide education and resource information, and reduce the stigma regarding getting help for suicidal thoughts, substance misuse, and emotional health.
In response to this need, we hosted the BE KIND TO YOUR MIND: A GIRLS SUMMIT on September 11, 2021 at The Dottie at Triumph Station in Fayetteville, Georgia for girls ages 13-17. The Girls Summit included three youth peer speakers sharing their recovery stories, a screening of the movie My Ascension, and a special performance by Alessia Cara.
The Suicide Prevention Team also released a series of weekly email blasts to share news and updates in the suicide prevention field. These weekly messages, along with their attachments, can be found below:
Week 2
Week 3 | 2021 GA Suicide Fact Sheets
Week 4 | Suicide Prevention Program Annual Report _2020_DBHDD | SP Criminal Justice Webinar
We are extremely grateful to everyone who joined us in raising awareness and promoting wellness this month. To see some of the other exciting activities that happened across Georgia visit the Suicide Prevention Coalition pages listed on Find Help.
