Free Teen Depression and Suicide Prevention program now available for high schools
Monday, October 18th, 2010
Did you know Arizona is ranked third in the nation for teen suicide? We are first in the nation when it comes to teen suicide by firearms! Recently there has been an upswing in news stories regarding bullying, intolerance and cruelty linked to teen suicides. The statistics are shocking…….. Our kids are important and we need to do what we can to stop the trend.
Undiagnosed depression is the number one cause of suicide, yet few people know what the symtoms are and even fewer seek treatment. Each year nearly 26,400 teens in Arizona attempt suicide…….and that number reflects only the attempts that end up in an emergency rooms and/or require treatment by a professional! Many times the family is able to do something to treat the effects of the attempt (induce vomiting, CPR, etc.) without anyone outside the home ever being notified.
Education and awareness is crucial and O.P.T.I.O.N.S. (Offering Parents and Teens Information on Needless Suicide) is a free depression education and suicide prevention program offered to Arizona high schools by Mental Health America of Arizona. The successful educational program has been operating in the Phoenix area for several years and it is now available in Southern Arizona. When evaluated, 85% of the students said the program provided helpful information on clinical depression and were able to identify at least 5 of the symptoms, and 90% felt that schools need a program like this.
Mental Health America of Arizona (MHAAZ) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization providing leadership to address the full range of mental health, illness and wellness issues in Arizona. We are dedicated to improving care, treatment and recovery for people with all types of mental illness through support services, education and advocacy.
For more information or to schedule presentations in your child’s school, please contact Susan Moreno at: smoreno@mhaarizona.org
Recent articles on teen depression and suicide:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-harold-koplewicz/gay-teen-suicide_b_760093.html
