suicide prevention

Shannon Goyette visits her son Jacob's grave in Shirley, Mass. The 16-year-old died by suicide last year.

National

Massachusetts Case Probes The Role Schools Play In Teen Suicide Prevention

7:00am December 15, 2019

by Jenifer McKim

Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for teenagers. Schools increasingly are seen as key to keeping them safe, but suicide prevention training for school staff across the U.S. is hit or miss.

The Federal Communications Commission announced Thursday that it was putting forward a proposal to designate 988 as a "suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline."

National

FCC Approves Plan For 3-Digit Suicide Prevention Number Similar To 911

1:56pm December 13, 2019

by Colin Dwyer

The Federal Communications Commission unanimously OK'd the proposal, which would allow callers in crisis to reach a national mental health support network simply by dialing 988.

RK workers depart a bus on their way to the job site at a new airport under construction in Salt Lake City.

Health & Safety

A Construction Company Embraces Frank Talk About Mental Health To Reduce Suicide

6:32am December 12, 2019

by Yuki Noguchi

The suicide of a construction worker in 2014 became a pivotal event for the Denver-based company that employed him. The death led management to make mental health care a part of the workplace culture.

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With suicides on the rise, the government wants to make the national crisis hotline easier to use. A proposed three-digit number — 988 — could replace the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Health & Safety

How A Proposed 3-Digit Suicide Hotline Could Help Prevention Efforts

2:08pm September 13, 2019

by Rhitu Chatterjee

The current suicide hotline — 1-800-273-TALK or 1-800-273-8255 — has helped many people. But it's long and tough to remember in a crisis. The FCC is proposing a new national, three-digit number.

In the U.S., firearms kill more people through suicide than homicide.

Health & Safety

How The CDC's Reluctance To Use The 'F-Word' — Firearms — Hinders Suicide Prevention

6:50pm August 08, 2019

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Congress has told the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention not to "advocate or promote gun control." That directive complicates the public health agency's efforts to prevent suicide.

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Sheri Adler at an American Behavioral Health Systems office in Wenatchee, Wash. At age 72, Adler attempted to take her own life.

Isolated And Struggling, Many Seniors Are Turning To Suicide

8:03am July 27, 2019

The golden years are thought to be a well-earned, carefree time in life. But adults 65 and older now account for almost 1 in 5 suicides in America.

Arts

Netflix Cuts Controversial Suicide Scene From '13 Reasons Why'

8:37am July 16, 2019

by Merrit Kennedy

The show is centered on the suicide of a teenage girl, and the first season's finale shows her taking her own life. Several organizations raised concerns that it could romanticize suicide.

Greg McDonald Jr. (left) sits with his fiancé Jon Jost. McDonald's parents considered sending him to counseling when they were concerned he was gay. Now they support a ban on conversion therapy.

National

Activists And Suicide Prevention Groups Seek Bans On Conversion Therapy For Minors

1:35pm April 26, 2019

by Leila Fadel

Conversion therapy aims to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity. The practice is discredited by mental health professionals and is linked to higher rates of suicide.

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Chef Patrick Mulvaney talks with his kitchen staff as they prepare dinner at B&L restaurant.

Health & Safety

California Chef Aims To Help Restaurant Workers Prevent Suicide

7:00am February 11, 2019

by Samantha Caiola

The restaurant business can be tough on your mental health, and has led some chefs to suicide. Chef Patrick Mulvaney is helping Sacramento kitchen workers learn the warning signs and ask for help.

According to a recent poll by NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health more than half of respondents said they knew someone personally affected by suicide.

How One Colorado Town Is Tackling Suicide Prevention — Starting With The Kids

4:27pm October 24, 2018

by Kirk Siegler

Eight of the top ten states with the highest suicide rates are in the Mountain West. Grand Junction, Colo. has launched an ambitious effort starting in the schools to try and address the problem.

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