LCCC to Hold Suicide Awareness and Prevention Week beginning April 11

Lehigh Carbon Community College (LCCC) will host a week of events in recognition of suicide awareness and prevention beginning on Monday, April 11.

White flags will be placed in front of the Student Services Center (SSC) and remain in place all week to commemorate the approximately 1,100 college students who take their own lives yearly. American flags will also be placed in memory of the number of veterans who commit suicide.

On Tuesday, April 12, LCCC will host an information session called “Helping a Friend in Crisis” at 12:15 p.m., in the dining room on the second floor of the Academic Service Center (ARC) on main campus. Whether it’s thinking about suicide, self-injury or an eating disorder, this session will help people learn how to keep their friends safe.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) backpack memorial will be held on Wednesday, April 13, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Student Union of the Student Services Center. There will be activities, refreshments, giveaways and a chance to empower struggling students seeking help.

On Thursday, April 14, Dr. Dennis Geiger, psychologist and vice president of NAMI Lehigh Valley chapter, will present “NAMI on Campus,” where he’ll discuss the impact of mental health on college students. His talk will begin at 2 p.m. in room 107 in the Alumni Center of the Rothrock library on the main campus.

The LCCC counselors leading the college’s suicide awareness and prevention week are Jeffrey Herman and Michelle Baldwin Friendy. Both counselors are located in the LCCC Counseling Center in SSC 126 or can be contacted at 610-799-1895. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).