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Announcements

  • SAMHSA releases Top Health Issues for LGBT Populations Information & Resource Kit

    Suicide is among the top health issues for all groups examined by this publication: lesbians, gay men, bisexual men and women, and transgender people. This new resource equips prevention professionals, healthcare providers, and educators with information on current health issues among LGBT populations and includes an overview of terms related to gender identity and sexual expression.

    For more information

  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces new suicide prevention tools and briefs

    Developed in partnership with SAMHSA and Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act state grantees in Tennessee and Maine, as well as a tribal grantee in the Pacific Northwest, six new suicide prevention tools and briefs are now available. The briefs are part of the CDC’s “Applying Science. Advancing Practice” (ASAP) series. Briefs in this series were developed through a process designed to bridge the research-to-practice gap and deliver timely knowledge rooted in science and made accessible, useful, and relevant for application in the field.

    For more information

  • TeenScreen presents webinar, headspace: What can we Learn from Australia’s Mental Health Success? Thursday, April 26, 1:00-2:00 p.m. ET

    Youth mental health organizationheadspace has offices throughout Australia that provide support, information and advice to young people ages 12 to 25. The organization is focused on early identification and treatment of mental illness and prevention of teen suicide. The model combines integrated care with mental health skills training for primary care professionals and a national, youth-directed outreach campaign. Local professional and agency collaboration helps ensure that fewer teens “fall through the cracks.” headspace CEO Chris Tanti will discuss how headspace works, its focus on youth-directed outreach and integrated care, and its impact on outcomes and high-risk populations.

    For more information

News

International News

  • Funeral orators urged not to glamorise suicide

    Ireland

    A new guide called Suicide Prevention in the Community: A Practical Guide, just launched by Minister of State Kathleen Lynch, offers guidelines for communities dealing with suicide. The guide advises those speaking at the funeral services of suicide decedents to avoid language that makes suicide sound glamorous or like a normal response to problems in life. The guide also recommends against permanent memorials or dedications at sports events, dances, or other community events, and gives advice on how to handle the Facebook page of the deceased. Instead, public attention should be focused on prevention-focused activities, such as fundraising for suicide prevention organizations.

    Mar 30, 2012

    The Irish Times

    Read Suicide Prevention in the Community: A Practical Guide 

National News

  • Cancer diagnosis linked to suicide, heart attack

    Newly diagnosed cancer patients face an increased risk for suicide, as well as death from heart attack and stroke, according to research just published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The risk is greatest among those with the most deadly cancers, and is present even before treatment begins. The study is based on national health registry data collected about six million adult residents of Sweden between 1991 and 2006. Compared to people without a cancer diagnosis, people with cancer were 12 times more likely to die by suicide within a week of diagnosis and three times more likely to die by suicide within a year. People with the most deadly cancers were 16 times more likely to die by suicide within a week of diagnosis than those without cancer. Within a year of diagnosis, suicide risk had returned to pre-diagnosis level for all patients. According to a cancer expert and a psychiatrist who were interviewed for this article, the findings emphasize the need to remain vigilant for signs of depression among newly diagnosed cancer patients and to address patients’ emotional needs.

    Apr 5, 2012

    WebMD

    Read the abstract - "Su icide and Cardiovascular Death after a Cancer Diagnosis”  

  • Mike Wallace’s battle with depression and suicide

    This article about journalist Mike Wallace talks about a side of his life that many may not be aware of: his experiences with depression and attempted suicide. Wallace, who has written and spoken publicly about his experiences with mental illness, said that many people suffering from mental illness remain undiagnosed and untreated due to stigma. “What Mike Wallace did by his willingness to talk about his depressive illness was extraordinary,” said Carol Bernstein, associate professor of psychiatry at New York University School of Medicine. “That kind of openness with something that is usually shunned, avoided and stigmatized in our society was very brave and courageous of him.”

    Apr 9, 2012

    ABC News

  • New suicide prevention law is personal accomplishment for A.G.

    Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff has just signed into law a bill that requires all teachers in the state to receive two hours of youth suicide prevention training. Utah is one of a number of states that require teachers to attend suicide prevention training.

    Apr 5, 2012

    KCPW

    View Utah House Bill 501