September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

Medfield MA

02 September, 2021

5:03 AM

Description

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month Did you know... Death by suicide is the second leading cause of death amongst individuals aged 10-34? (Data from NIMH/CDC). According the National Institute of Mental Health's most current data from 2019, approximately 6,500 young people under the age of 25 died by suicide in the year 2019. That's almost 18 young people dying every day in the U.S. alone. The Medfield Coalition for Suicide Prevention (MCSP), a Medfield Foundation initiative, administered by Medfield Outreach, invites the Medfield community to participate in Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. In an effort to raise awareness, reduce stigma, educate and prevent death by suicide, we are promoting prevention efforts with a variety of initiatives during the month of September. New members are always welcome. Please email [email protected] if you would like more information about the coalition. Please look for the many businesses around town that will be participating in Suicide Prevention Awareness Month by displaying purple or turquoise lights, the colors associated with suicide prevention. We suggest you show your appreciation by supporting those businesses. Medfield residents can also participate by hanging lights or tying a ribbon of the same colors around a light post, mailbox, fence, anywhere you see fit on your property. Let's demonstrate how much we care by uniting and showing our support for those who have been touched by depression and suicide. In addition to the purple lights, be on the lookout for purple ribbons tied on some of the utility poles in the center of town. On each, there will be a laminated card with a scannable QR code for resources and additional information about mental health and suicide prevention. In recognition of the mind-body connection, Medfield Yoga Studio will lead an outdoor yoga session. The class will be led by Tracy Buckley on Sunday, September 26th at noon on the Medfield High School turf. This class is free and open to all ages and abilities. Please bring a yoga mat, towel and a water bottle. On September 29th, MCSP will show "My Ascension" a documentary film and movement to spread hope and fight suicide. A brief synopsis: A suicide attempt left 16-year-old varsity cheerleader Emma Benoit paralyzed, but propelled her on a mission to use her painful experience to help others find hope and stay alive. Following the showing, a panel of mental health professionals will be available to share resources and answer questions. For more information please visit https://www.myascension.us/ and to register for the event please visit https://forms.gle/hb86eZMLrYEZRbs68 All month long, MCSP will be offering facts and resources on our social media sites: https://www.facebook.com/medfieldcsp and the Medfield Outreach Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages: https://www.facebook.com/MedfieldOutreach https://twitter.com/MedfieldOutrch https://www.instagram.com/medfieldoutreach/?hl=en Mental Health Emergency Resources and Helplines: Riverside Community Care: 24 Hour Emergency Services Program 1-800-529-5077 or 1-781-769-8674 The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org Samaritans: Call anytime 24 hours/7 days per week (877)870-4673. http://samaritanshope.org Call2Talk: HELPLINE:(508) 532-2255. A text line is also available: 2-1-1 https://www.uwotc.org/call2talk