Ask the Expert: Suicide Prevention

Suicide is a serious public health problem that can have lasting harmful effects on individuals, families, and communities. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for nearly 37,000 deaths each year. Apart from deaths, there are an estimated 465,000 visits to emergency departments each year for self-harm injuries. In 2008, the most recent year of available data, more than 1 million people reported making a suicide attempt.

On World Suicide Prevention Day, VetoViolence will be hosting an Ask the Expert focused on suicide prevention! Joining us will be CDC behavioral scientists Deb Stone, ScD and Natalie Wilkins, PhD. Their areas of expertise include:
• Suicide prevention
• Connectedness
• Suicidal behavior
• Risk and protective factors
• Public health approach
• Evidence-based decision making
• Evaluation

Also on hand, from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA):
• James Wright, MS, LCPC, a Public Health Advisor in the Suicide Prevention Branch, Center for Mental Health Services
• Jennifer Cappella, MPA, a Public Health Advisor in the Suicide Prevention Branch, Garrett Lee Smith State and Tribal and Campus Suicide Prevention Grant Programs.

If you’ve got questions now, go ahead and post them in the comment thread here. We look forward to chatting with you Monday!

To learn more:

Suicide Prevention:
www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/suicide

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA):
www.samhsa.gov

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:
www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
1-800-273-TALK (8255)