Rural Health
News by Topic: Suicide and suicide prevention
Nov 21, 2019 - Efforts are underway to address the increasing suicide rate among Native Americans in North Dakota and Minnesota; data remains limited, but prevention coordinators are working to collect more accurate numbers. A member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa describes her personal experience with losing a loved one to suicide.
Source: Grand Forks Herald
Nov 19, 2019 - Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai proposes to establish 988 as the new phone number for the suicide prevention and mental health hotline. If the proposal is adopted, all calls made to 988 will be routed from anywhere in the U.S. to the nearest crisis center. The Commission will vote on the proposal December 12, 2019.
Source: Federal Communications Commission
Nov 12, 2019 - Highs school students in rural Colorado created the "teen wellness voucher," which provides students free and confidential counseling in order to address the high youth suicide rate in the state. The vouchers entitle teens to two, one-hour sessions with a mental health professional and are available in schools, libraries, the post office, and the local arcade.
Source: Chalkbeat
Nov 11, 2019 - Highlights the Veteran's Club Facebook page, created as a support group for service members struggling with thoughts of suicide. Includes other programs such as AMVETS, aimed to educate military members and their families on the signs of suicide.
Source: The Daily Yonder
Nov 6, 2019 - Agricultural communities in Colorado are seeing increased suicide rates as they face financial instability and mental health challenges not found in other areas of the state. Features a rancher whose father died by suicide and the work she is doing to bring mental health resources to local rural communities.
Source: Colorado Sun
Oct 27, 2019 - Describes ongoing research on the mental health of agricultural workers and analyzes the difficulty of calculating farmers' suicide rates. Farmers face unique struggles, such as added pressure and deadly work conditions, programs offer mental health training for family members and health facilities so they can support agricultural workers they come in contact with.
Source: Daily Eastern News
Oct 25, 2019 - Summarizes a research study that shows children living in counties with the highest poverty levels are more likely to die by suicide than children in wealthier counties. Includes a subgroup analyses reporting suicides by firearm increased with poverty concentration.
Source: American Academy of Pediatrics
Oct 9, 2019 - Overview of a study reported in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry describes the importance of strong connections made with peers and adults in decreasing suicide rates among rural high school students in New York and North Dakota. Rural suicide rates are on the climb, with children posing a higher risk. Results provide insight as to how suicide can be prevented through connections made in school.
Source: The Daily Yonder