San Diego Youth Services Working to Prevent Youth Suicide

May 17-23 is National Prevention Week highlighting different health themes daily.

Today May 22 will answer the question, Why is suicide prevention important?

The San Diego County’s east region has the highest rate of suicide, young people ages 15-24, when compared to all other regions in San Diego County (Suicide in San Diego County Report 2000-2009).  Nationally, suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death among youth ages 10-24 years old (Center for Disease Control, 2011).

Fortunately there are some programs already in place to help. San Diego Youth Services Helping, Engaging, Reconnecting, and Educating (HERE) Now is a school-based suicide prevention and early intervention program funded by County of San Diego Health & Human Services Agency (HHSA). to serve East County. Our goal is to educate 7th through 12th grade youth and their families on the risk factors of suicide and reducing the stigma of seeking help. The HERE Now Program increases awareness, promotes conversations, and inspires connections to prevent suicide - one community, one school, one life at a time.

Childhood depression is different from the normal “blues” and everyday emotions that occur during adolescence. The signs of depression in youth vary, so depression can go untreated because the indications are passed off as normal emotional changes.

Some signs to look for are:

• Irritability or anger
• Continuous feelings of sadness or hopelessness
• Social withdrawal
• Changes in sleep
• Low energy
• Increased us of alcohol or drugs

It is important to recognize what is normal and not normal for your teen. When in doubt, consult a mental health professional for an evaluation.

A youth who is feeling suicidal is considering taking, or planning to take,  his/her own life. Talking openly about suicide is the best way to communicate with youth, showing you are concerned and care about them. It is our hope to partner with the public in creating a safe and successful environment for the youth in the Santee community and throughout the east region. Together we can all prevent suicide!

If you are worried about someone you know or have questions call:

San Diego Access & Crisis Line at 1-888-724-7240. The San Diego Access Crisis line is confidential and FREE of charge 7 days a week, 24 hours a day by trained professionals. Service are offered in 150+ languages and chat online is available Monday - Friday 4pm - 10pm.  If you or someone you care about needs emergency care, PLEASE dial 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

For any questions or interest in the HERE Now program, please contact: Heather Garcia, (619)  258-6877 x. 3274 or hgracia@sdyouthservices.org Website: www.sdyouthservices.org.

Contributor: Heather Garcia, PsyD, MFT., Ms. Garcia contributes on behalf of San Diego Youth Services as Interim HERE Now Program Manager.

SDYS is a member of Santee Solutions Coalition, working together to build a safe, healthy and drug-free Santee!