Broadcast date: 10/19/2017
Suicide is a serious public health problem that causes immeasurable pain, suffering, and loss to individuals, families, and communities nationwide. SAMHSA, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, maintain that nearly 40,000 people in the United States die from suicide annually, or 1 person every 13 minutes. This exceeds the rate of death from homicide and AIDS combined. Currently, more people die by suicide than from automobile accidents. Half of these deaths occur by use of a firearm.
Over the past decade, the suicide rate has been rising. Much of the increase has been driven by suicides in mid-life, however, suicide also takes a major toll on young people. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for young people between 10 to 24. The 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey revealed alarming statistics, that 17% of youth seriously considered suicide in the previous year and more than 14% had made a plan.
Join Kris Kington-Barker as she speaks with Amy Waddle Transition Mental Health Association (TMHA) High School Program Trainer, Frank Warren, Division Manager of Prevention & Outreach at San Luis Obispo County Behavioral Health and Christine Claxton, leader of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Out of the Darkness Walk as they discuss suicide prevention efforts on the Central Coast and how to recognize signs of emotional distress, initiate a conversation about mental wellness with someone and get the help needed.
Central Coast Voices is sponsored by ACTION for Healthy Communities in collaboration with KCBX and made possible through underwriting by Joan Gellert-Sargen.
