Hope Hutira-Green, MS, NCCProgram Manager

The Jesse Klump Memorial Fund, Inc.

Youth Suicide Awareness &

Prevention

Jesse Klump 5/26/1991-2/27/2009

1. Scholarship Fund2. Suicide Grievers’

Support Group3. Awareness Program

1. Teach warning signs2. Describe effective

response

Jesse Klump Memorial Fund, Incwww.JessesPaddle.org

Prevention may be a matter of a caring person with the right knowledge

being available in the right place at the right

time.

Workshop Goals Recognize prevalence of youth suicide Identify warning signs of suicide Provide an effective response to youth at

risk of suicide

Why talk about suicide?

Tragic reality inthe lives of our

youth!

SUICIDE: A permanent solution to a temporary problem!

Youth Statistics & Suicide 3rd leading cause of death among 15-24 year olds1

1st Leading cause of death among LGBTQ youth

5th leading cause of death among 5-14 year olds1

For every completion there are 50-200 attempts1

Approximately 2 million adolescents attempt suicide per year1

Every day approximately 11 youth suicides occur

Bringing it home… Worcester County

1st in state for suicide rate1

47.5 % higher than state average1

1 of top 5 counties for teen suicide1

Today’s YouthIn the last year (2009) MD 9-12 graders reported:

10.4% made a suicide attempt 210 students in Worcester Co. HS

14% seriously considered suicide 294 students in Worcester Co. HS

11% made a suicide plan 231 students in Worcester Co. HS

2 out of 3 students who attempt suicide return to school the following day

Center for Disease Control and Prevention.Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System March 1, 2011. http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/YouthOnline/App/Results.aspx?LID=MD

“I’m a daughter hiding my depression. I’m a sister making a good

impression. I’m the girl sitting next to you. I’m the one asking you to care. I’m your best

friend hoping you’ll be there.”

Young Life = stress Family Pressure

Divorce/ New marriage Single parentDeathAbuse/Neglect

School Related IssuesGradesFitting inBullying

Young Life Cont. Peers

Social mediaDrugs/AlcoholBreak-up

DiscriminationBeing excludedBeing made fun ofSexual orientation

“I’m sick of crying, tired of trying, yeah I’m smiling, but inside I’m

dying”

Beliefs about Suicide… Talking to someone about suicide will put the idea

into his/her head.

Suicide is generally preventable.

Suicide happens without warning.

Most people who attempt suicide have gotten it out of their systems and won’t try it again.

People who talk about suicide won’t do it; it is the people who don’t talk about it we need to be concerned about.

Suicidal Behavior

An attempt to solve a problem of intense pain with impaired skills

The Brain… PET scan of the brain for depression

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/medical/IM00356

Risk Factors Clinical depression Access to lethal methods, guns Past suicide attempt Plan to attempt suicide Family history of suicide Impulsive/aggressive tendencies History of abuse Stressful life event(s) Perfectionist

http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=By_Illness&Template=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=54&ContentID=23041

Means Matter Harvard School of Public Health

85% of firearm suicide attempts are fatal 82% of firearm youth suicides (17 &

under) used a family member’s gun, usually a parent’s

“How much time passed between the time you decided to complete suicide and when you actually attempted suicide?” (Simon 2001) 24% said less than five minutes Another 47% said an hour or less 33% of youth who died by suicide had

faced a crisis in the previous 24 hours

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/means-matter/index.html

Warning SignsThoughts

Feelings

Behavior“I just can’t take it anymore”

“I wish I were dead”“No one cares”

“Everyone will be better off without me”

“All of my problems will end soon”“No one can do anything to help me

now”“I won’t be needing these things

anymore”“ I won’t be a problem for you

much longer”

HopelessTrapped

BurdenedAlone

PurposelessGuiltyAngry

DesperateWorthless

Giving away possessionsWithdrawal

Aggressive BehaviorSudden mood change

Alcohol/drug useDisturbed

sleep/appetiteRecklessnessImpulsiveness

Warning Signs of SuicideI

S

PATH

WARM

Ideation – Threatened or communicated

Substance use or abuse – Excessive or increased

Purposelessness – No reasons for living

Anxiety – Agitation/Insomnia

Trapped - Feeling like there is no way out

Hopelessness - There is nothing to live

Withdrawal – From family, friend, school, activities, etc.

Anger (uncontrolled) – Rage, seeking revenge

Recklessness – Risky acts, unthinking

Mood changes – Baseline

www.suicidology.org/stats-and-tools/suicide-warning-signs

What do I do? ASK

A – Ask S – Stay with the person K – Konnect

ASK Be direct Suicide

“Are you feeling so badly that you're considering suicide?"

"That sounds like an awful lot for one person to take; has it made you think about killing yourself to escape?“

Plan“Do you have a plan?”

Access“Do you have access to the means?”

STAY Do NOT LEAVE ALONE! LISTEN! LISTEN! LISTEN! Show you care Reflect what you hear Know your limits Know your resources

*Do not worry about doing or saying exactly the "right" thing. Convey care!

Listening to a youth Acknowledge feelings Clarify what you hear Summarize Validate

KONNECT Parent Mental Health Professional Family Doctor 1-800-273-TALK 911

“We need some extra help” “I want to make sure you are okay”

Do’s & Don’ts DO

Listen, Listen, Listen Avoid accusing/judging Know your limits Remove access to means

○ Guns, firearms○ Ropes, belts, hoses, knotted

cords, shoe laces○ Knives, medicine

Connect with professional help

Always take suicide SERIOUSLY!

DON’T Promise to keep the secret Tell a person not to feel that

way Punish a person for telling

you Express tough love Say high school is best time of

life Won’t care about this is 20

years Leave the person alone

Practice Scenario

ScenariosChoose One

12 year old - older sibling was abused by step father in their house; feels guilty because didn’t stop or know what was happening; step father in jail; mom upset because step dad going to jail and fear of supporting family alone; daughter does not want to add to her mother’s worries

10th grader – A student; started handing in assignments late (atypical); dated sporadically on and off (currently not dating anyone); two older siblings in college – one full scholarship for engineering at PSU and other working on law degree; feels like a disappointment to father (who was a great athlete)

Protective Factors Sense of Connection!

Caring relationship with trusted adult

Positive self-esteem Good coping skills Access to care Cultural/religious

beliefs

To Do Be aware of warning signs Connect with youth/offer ongoing support Complete ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Strategies Training)

June, 2 day workshop in Snow Hill Ask us to speak to your church group, your school, community

association, fraternal organization, any place where people gather who may one day have to save a life.

May 29th: “Why s my Child so Moody?” A talk about teen depression and youth suicide prevention. Ocean Pines library, 6:30 p.m. sponsored by the Jesse Klump Memorial Fund and Atlantic General Hospital

Jesse’s Paddle – July, 20, 2013 – Snow Hill Out of Darkness Community Walk for Suicide Prevention– September

28th– OC Board Walk

Resources 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-422-0009

MD Youth Suicide Line 410-749-4357

Life Crisis 410-629-0164

Berlin Health Department 410-632-1100

Worcester Co. Health Department 410-641-4598

Worcester Youth & Family Counseling Center 911

Additional Resources www.maine.gov/suicide/youth

Maine Teen Suicide PreventionResources and information for teens

www.suicidology.orgAmerican Association of SuicidologyData, resources, links

www.maine.gov/suicideMaine Youth Suicide Prevention ProgramExtensive resources and information on youth suicide 

www.sptsnj.orgSociety for the Prevention of Teen SuicideFocuses on resources for the competent school community

www.sprc.orgSuicide Prevention Resource CenterNational resource

www.afsp.orgAmerican Foundation for Suicide PreventionPrinted materials & resources

References1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for

Injury Prevention and Control. (2010). 2. National Alliance on Mental Illness.

http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=By_Illness&Template=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=54&ContentID=23041

3. http://www.suicidology.org/c/document_library/get_file?folderId=228&name=DLFE-392.pdf

4. Mortality figures appearing here are derived or calculated from data in the following official data source: obtained 12 September from CDC’s WISQARS website: http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/index.html.

5. http://www.afsp.org/6. http://www.suicidology.org/home7. http://www.suicidology.org/stats-and-tools/suicide-warning-signs

* Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore

http://wherelivingwatersflow.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/hope-in-focus.jpg

Your Role as ParentsTalk about suicide

1. Pick a good time2. Be conversational3. Be honest4. Be direct5. Listen to what your child has to say6. If you get worried, ask more

questions7. Revisit the conversation