Shining a light on suicide prevention
Baker City HeraldSep 27, 2022
Sep. 21—As darkness fell on
The candlelight vigil, organized by New Directions Northwest, encouraged the community to gather on
September is National Suicide Prevention Month.
At the vigil, bags decorated in honor of those lost to suicide were illuminated with lights to flicker in the dark. Nearby, a table of information offered resources, most notably the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline that started
The crisis line number is 988, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Callers are connected with trained crisis counselors "who can help people experiencing suicidal, substance use, and/or mental health crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress," said
She said 988 is also an option for someone who believes a loved one may need crisis support.
According to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, suicide is the second-leading cause of death among young people. Every year in the
The
The Lifeline
According to statistics from the
The crisis counselors are trained to use the least invasive interventions and are linked to a network of services. When in-person support or intervention is needed, the counselors may dispatch a mobile crisis team or first responder.
Since the Lifeline launched in 2005, it has received more than 23 million calls.
"Locally,
New Directions Northwest offers 24-hour crisis intervention for adults and children.
That crisis number is 541-519-7126.
In addition to NDN resources, the
QPR training
New Directions provides a free course titled QPR (Question, Persuade and Refer) Gatekeeper Training for Suicide Prevention that teaches the warning signs of a suicide crisis and offers tips on how to respond.
And if you suspect someone is considering self-harm?
"Ask," Hueckman said. "Be direct, respectful and concerned: 'Are you thinking of killing yourself?' Finding the courage to ask this important question can mean the difference between life and death."
For more information, visit newdirectionsnw.org.
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