BRATTLEBORO — When communities experience youth suicide it often leaves people of all ages struggling with unanswered questions. What is the nature of suicide? Did we miss any warning signs? What can we do to prevent it from happening again?
In recognition of National Children's Mental Health Awareness Week (May 6 through 12), the Brattleboro Retreat and the Center for Health & Learning's UMatter Youth Suicide Prevention program will hold an interactive, educational workshop for parents, educators, and other community members on Thursday, May 10, from 4 to 6 p.m., at the Brattleboro Retreat, Education Conference Room, 1 Anna Marsh Lane.
This free workshop will offer attendees an opportunity to learn more about this often neglected public health issue, as well as to debunk myths associated with suicide and suicide prevention.
Youth development experts and child psychiatrists will discuss facts about youth suicide and provide practical information and community-based resources that attendees can take back and share in their schools, homes, and work places.
According to the 2011 Vermont Youth Risk Behavior Survey sponsored by the Vermont Department of Health Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Programs and the Vermont Department of Education Student Health and Learning Team, 17 percent of Vermont middle school students have seriously considered taking their own lives at some point, and 13 percent of middle school female students have actually made a suicide plan.
The second leading cause of death among Vermont youth, suicide is a deeply complex issue that requires a multi-faceted, community-based approach.
Concerned citizens from across Vermont have made significant progress in the last eight years to prevent youth suicide.
In 2004, a group of community members and elected officials created the state's first suicide prevention platform.
In 2011, the Vermont Youth Suicide Prevention Coalition published the Vermont Youth Suicide Prevention Platform to reflect the latest research and evidence-based approaches on suicide prevention. This platform now serves as a guide for individuals, agencies, schools, and organizations working to prevent youth suicide.
For more information about this event, contact Jill Terrell-Ouazzani at 802-258-3785 or jouazzani@brattlebororetreat.org.