Local groups and health services work to provide resources for suicide prevention

The death of a child is difficult for both the family and the community. If the cause of death is stigmatized and considered a sin in some religions, it can be difficult to even discuss the loss.

Suicide has been a highly stigmatized, taboo subject for a long time. Those who don't want to talk about it are either fearful of increasing the chances of people wanting to attempt suicide or find it a selfish and sinful act.

Prevention advocates argue that by not talking about suicide, those who need help won't know how to get it, thus increasing the risk of suicide.

For ages 10 to 24, suicide is the second-leading cause of death not only for Ohio but for the United States in general, according to the Ohio Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In 2011, 1 in 7, or 14 percent, of Ohio's high school students reported to have seriously considered suicide in the past 12 months while 1 in 10, or 9 percent, of Ohio's high school students reported to have attempted suicide in the same time span.

Four percent of Ohio high school students reported injury resulting from an attempted suicide in the past 12 months. Students in ninth grade are two times more likely to report an injury related to a suicide attempt than students in 10th through 12th grades.

For every suicide committed, at least 25 other people attempt it.

A CONNECTION TO MENTAL ILLNESS

Research shows there is a strong correlation of mental illness - another highly stigmatized subject - and suicide. Although the majority of people who suffer from mental illness do not die by suicide, roughly 90 percent of people who die from suicide have a diagnosable mental disorder.

Mental health and suicide prevention specialists in Athens and the surrounding counties work to provide counseling services and crisis interventions to the local communities. It is important to have access to resources like these, otherwise help is not available and the risk of suicide is much greater.

Hopewell Health Centers (HHC) provides services such as counseling, psychiatric support and crisis intervention for both children and adults in Athens, Hocking, Jackson, Vinton and Washington counties.

According to the HHC website, the Community Psychiatric Supportive Treatment Services (CPST) are available for adults with severe mental illness, children with severe emotional disturbances and anyone with a psychiatric crisis who is at risk for hospitalization.

Crisis intervention and hospital prescreen services are available at agency facilities during office hours and at local emergency rooms, either over the phone or in person, according to the HHC website. Workers with the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) evaluate people in psychiatric crisis and help them to receive the services they need.

They also have school-based services with HHC counselors and CPST providers that work in multiple school districts throughout the area to students. HHC takes referrals about students who may be in need of assistance or intervention from educators, school counselors and other faculty and employees who work closely with the students.

IN THE SCHOOLS

For children and young adults, schools play a major role in education and access to counseling services for their students.

In 2012, Ohio State Rep. Marlene Anielski pushed House Bill 543 in honor of her son, Joseph, who committed suicide on March 4, 2010. The bill was passed unanimously in the House and Senate and was signed into law by Gov. John Kasich on Dec. 20, 2012.

The bill requires youth suicide prevention training for certain personnel who are employed by a school district or service center. The training helps personnel to complete training to recognize signs that indicate a student may be at risk of harming themselves and refer them for help.

David Schenkelberg, the chief clinical officer of HHC, said the health center tries to work closely with school personnel to raise awareness of students that may be in need of a referral to their services in each of the districts.

In the last six months, HHC has had about 1,000 referrals altogether for child treatment, which come from both schools and the HHC regional clinics.

Some schools will request consultation with HHC on how to address an incident that has occurred, such as suicide, on how to discuss what has happened with students, giving necessary information to parents and provide therapists.

"If something occurs within a school district we'll do our best to respond and be there," Schenkelberg said.

After Athens resident Mary Schreck lost Chris, her 22-year-old son, to suicide in 1996, she became involved with the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program.

The Yellow Ribbon Program started in 1994 by the friends and family of Mike Emme, a teenager who died of suicide in Colorado. It grew to become a program with chapters in 19 states and five other countries.

Schreck takes the program and her story and presents them to students in various regional schools. She also leaves the area to visit schools as far as Carrollton, Ohio.

Schreck has been in almost all of the Athens County high schools and the Tri-County Career Center at least once, making visits at least twice a year to repeat schools based on their schedules. She usually delivers her presentation in health classes, but also sometimes in assemblies, like the one visit she made to Federal Hocking several years ago.

She has also given her presentation to college students at nearby schools such as Ohio University, Hocking College and Marietta College. At Ohio University, she speaks to students who are learning how to educate those with special needs.

Schreck is also a member of the Athens County Suicide Prevention Coalition, which falls under the umbrella of the Athens County Alcohol Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services 317 Board. The 317 Board and other members of the coalition help her with the Yellow Ribbon program.

One of those helpers is Cathy Bruggeman, who puts together packets to hand out during Schreck's Yellow Ribbon presentations, and sometimes backs Schreck up with presentations when needed.

Bruggeman is also a member of the Coalition and a survivor of loved ones who died by suicide, including her best friend in 2003 and more recently her nephew in 2014.

LET'S TALK ABOUT IT

After Schreck lost her son, it wasn't until about four years later when she finally felt like she was able to openly speak about it.

When she began having conversations with people, she realized how many others were affected by suicide in some way. Talking about suicide helps people to find one another and give each other support.

Schreck said that people who attempt or complete suicide suffered from an immense pain that kept building up within them. Eventually that pain may become too intolerable to bear.

"All they can think about is ending the pain," she said.

Schreck said that during her Yellow Ribbon presentations she asks the students if they or someone they know has thought about, attempted or died by suicide, which causes many hands to rise in confirmation. After that, Schreck asks if anyone ever talked to them about suicide prevention, which causes only a few hands to rise.

She also hands out surveys to students that not only help her to collect data but also assists in indicating who needs help. Some of the questions the survey asks are if the student has considered suicide, attempted suicide and if they want or need help that day.

As part of the Yellow Ribbon program, Schreck also hands out little cards that serve as a signifier that help is needed. The card has a yellow ribbon on one side and phone numbers and instructions on how people can help on the other: Stay with the person, listen to the person and immediately call for help, the advice states.

Talking about difficult subjects such as mental illness and suicide may also help. In her presentations, Schreck dispels the myth that talking about suicide will cause people to try it.

"People in crisis need to talk - it helps relieve the terrible isolation that can lead to suicide," a slide from her presentation reads.

Someone who suffers the loss of a loved one to suicide has a higher risk of attempting suicide. That is why the Coalition hosts the Suicide Bereavement Support Group every third Tuesday of each month at Christ the King Church Parish Center, 78 Stewart St., in Athens, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

A group also meets in Logan every second Tuesday of each month at The Bowen House, 196 N. Market St., also from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The Coalition also has a Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors, or L.O.S.S., team that provides support to families and friends following a suicide as soon as possible. Schreck said the team hopes to have law enforcement and other officials who respond to the scene of a suicide contact the team immediately to provide on-scene counseling to the family if desired.

For more information on the L.O.S.S. team, call 740-593-3177.