September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
This is a press release from the Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services:
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and a good time to connect with people who may be having difficulty reaching out for help or feeling socially isolated or lonely.
Throughout the month, the Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) and community partners are hosting events and trainings focusing on suicide prevention.
This year, the Out of the Darkness Walk hosted by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention will be held virtually. To register for the sixth annual walk, scheduled for Sept. 13, at 10 a.m., visit afsp.org/arcata.
There are also suicide prevention trainings being held throughout the month, including a self-paced, prerecorded training and a live, online training.
Health Education Specialist Kristen Smith, who works with the DHHS Public Health Branch’s Suicide Prevention Program, said between July 1, 2019, and June 30, 2020, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline took more than 1,350 calls from Humboldt County. “This tells us that people are reaching out for support and that alone is a reason to be hopeful.”
For more information about trainings, email Public Health staff at [email protected].
If you are concerned for yourself or someone else, know you are not alone, suicide is preventable and help is available. Contact any of the following 24-hour hotlines:
- Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, press 1 for Veterans. Ayuda en Español: 1-888-628-9454.
- Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
- DHHS Behavioral Health: 24-hr Behavioral Health Crisis Line at 707-445-7715 or toll-free at 888-849-5728.
Additional support is available by calling the DHHS Community COVID Support line Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 707-268-2999.
For more information about DHHS’s Suicide Prevention Program and available resources, visit humboldtgov.org/PreventSuicide.
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and a good time to connect with people who may be having difficulty reaching out for help or feeling socially isolated or lonely.
Join the discussion! For rules visit: https://kymkemp.com/commenting-rules
Comments system how-to: https://wpdiscuz.com/community/postid/10599/
Fall can always be a stressful time in farm country. This fall is worse than normal. Please be kind. We don’t know the weight others carry.
If number of suicides were reported each month, names only included with family permission, then we’d realize and maybe put our grownup pants on and do something about this epidemic. Sad and the “Help” listed probably kills more people than it helps but don’t expect them to tell you cause either they are in denial and/or need to keep their jobs doing what they are doing. Besides unless community steps up and demands funding for mental health care and housing and livable housing and wages we’ll just keep loosing some of the best we have who no longer can endure the worst of our indifference and cruelty which is increasing (25% of people who commit suicide received an eviction notice in prior two weeks).
Sure did not help that poor gentleman found by a Miranda lady. Thank you for caring enough to stop and check on that clean vehicle beside the road. It is people like you that give me hope for our country. May he RIP. My condolences to his family and friends.