YW part of local suicide prevention plan

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The YWCA’s Summer Food Program doesn’t only provide food for the stomachs of local children, but also food for thought on a variety of topics.

One recent topic was that of suicide prevention — a relevant subject, considering that, in the city of Van Wert alone, 162 suicide attempts were reported to the Van Wert Police Department over the past 3½ years (2009-June 2012). Considering that only a portion of suicide attempts are reported, the size of the problem is almost undoubtedly even greater.

Although the problem is serious, fortunately only a small number of those who attempt suicide are successful. For the same time period as above, only five actual suicides were reported in the entire county, according to figures compiled by the Van Wert County Health Department.

Jamie Evans, YWCA Transitional Housing director and a former counselor at Westwood Behavioral Health Center in Van Wert, organized the YWCA program as part local suicide prevention efforts funded by a $5,000 grant received by Westwood from the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation.

“We formed a coalition here as part of the grant program and targeted kids ages 10-17 as part of an awareness and education campaign,” Evans said, noting that programs similar to the one presented to participants of the YWCA’s Summer Food Program are also planned as part of Westwood’s own summer program and a program conducted by Van Wert County Juvenile Court.

The target age group was selected to help kids in that age group become aware of what types of events can trigger a suicide attempt, and how to seek help before youngsters attempt to take their own life.

“We want to hit the kids before they get to the point of ‘this is all I feel I have left to do’,” Evans said of local suicide prevention efforts.

As part of the Suicide Prevention Foundation grant, a local coalition was formed, with representatives from a number of organizations and agencies, including local schools, the YWCA, Westwood and Juvenile Court.

Several members also attended a “gatekeeper” workshop that provides training on how make people aware of suicide “triggers” and ways to prevent suicide attempts from occurring.

Evans, who is a coalition member, said the group plans to seek a $10,000 grant in the fall for next fiscal year in order to expand the program in FY 2013.

“We’re hoping we can make it bigger and broaden it next fiscal year,” she said.

Meanwhile, the coalition is also in the process of developing an advertising campaign that includes local media, the movie theater and placemats in local restaurants to make people more aware of the situation, and where to get help.