New suicide prevention program launches
Program aims to reduce suicide rates in Ventura County
By Shane Cohn 09/02/2010
Talking about suicide can save lives, and local health officials want to spread the word.
With National Suicide Prevention Week occurring Sept. 5-11, the Children’s Services Committee, a subcommittee of the Ventura County Mental Health Board, is pushing for school districts in Ventura County to adopt the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program (YRSPP).
The YRSPP is used worldwide and implements the usage of wallet-sized cards that carry a message indicating on the front of the card the need for help in a time when words don’t come so easily. The back of the card provides instructions for giving comfort and aid to those feeling suicidal, as well as phone numbers for help.
“This is a tool, like CPR, to perform intervention until you can get help there,” said Pam Roach a chairman for the Children’s Services Committee.
According to data compiled by the Ventura County Medical Examiner, there have been five teen suicides in the county this year, which more than doubles the number in 2009. A recent national study by the Center for Mental Health Services shows the fastest-growing suicide rate by age group is 10 to 14 years old.
Most people are uncomfortable talking about suicide, suggested Roach. This results in a blanket of secrecy over a public health issue that took the lives of 431 county residents in the years 2005-09 and 52 lives so far in 2010, according to the County Medical Examiner.
“Talking about suicide doesn’t lead to suicide,” said Roach. “The Yellow Ribbon Program is informing about help, and we hope it can reduce suicide.”
Along with the Children’s Services Committee spreading awareness about the YRSPP, local outreach programs are finding success in peer support groups.
Speaking about suicide saved Natasha Borelis. Borelis, 20, an Oxnard resident, was battling severe depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts until a friend brought her to Pacific Clinics Transitional Age Youth (TAY) Wellness and Recovery Center, also known as the TAY Tunnel, in downtown Oxnard one year ago.
“After my father passed away, I was really upset,” said Borelis. “I couldn’t take the stress and grieving anymore and was suicidal.”
But soon after visiting TAY Tunnel, Borelis was immersed in peer support counseling and found that talking her issues out to somebody with similar experiences was vital in her recovery.
TAY Tunnel recovery specialists placed Borelis, as they do all their members, on a wellness recovery action plan. The plan is tailored to the needs and triggers of the individual at risk, no matter what the issues may be, and is designed as a personal roadmap to wellness.
Open since 2007, TAY Tunnel receives visits each day from 15-20 members seeking support in various life domains such as job and house hunting, formal health services, or simply to hang out. It is primarily peer-driven and peer-run by men and women who were once members receiving services and have since gone through training to receive the appropriate credentials.
“Historically, mental health tells you what you need to be well — this is you saying what you need,” said Jennifer Gomez, program director for TAY Tunnel. “But this is just scratching the surface with how we can work with our young people.”
Gomez said that TAY Tunnel is involved with the YRSPP, but regardless of the condition people find themselves in, having somebody to speak with can make all the difference.
For more information about the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program, visit www.yellowribbon.org.
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