Group makes plans for youth suicide prevention

Two dozen persons gathered Monday in Cathlamet to learn about youth suicide and what can be done to address it.

Mary Jadwisiak, Youth Suicide Prevention Program (YSPP) field coordinator for Clark and Cowlitz counties, led the group through a 45-minute training on signs of suicide among youth and how to respond.

Representatives of local mental health agencies, schools, the Wahkiakum County Sheriff's Department and other organizations talked about how their groups address youth suicide and its contributing risk factors.

At Jadwisiak's prompting, the group agreed to meet again and mount a publicity campaign to identify safe zones in the schools and the community and to publicize resources through the Wahkiakum Community Network's newsletter.

That meeting will be April 25, 7 p.m., in the Wahkiakum High School library; anyone interested in working on the issue is invited, organizers said.

The rate of youth suicide attempts in Wahkiakum County follows the state and national averages, said Leigh O'Malley, a mental health professional with Wahkiakum County Mental Health.

That agency is ready to respond to calls for help at any time, he said. Mental health professionals can provide crisis care, and they also work with people of all ages in regular counseling programs to address their concerns and anxieties before they reach a crisis stage.

Mental health staff also try to work closely with schools to address the needs of students and staff.

"We try to pay attention to the stigma associated with mental health," O'Malley said. "It needs to be okay to talk about being anxious or depressed."

Colleague Elizabeth Dufek said that the agency has a sliding scale of fees that can accommodate all income levels and that people are welcome to call at any time.

"No question is too small or too big," she said.

The county Health and Human Services Department also offers chemical dependency and tobacco cessation programs. Prevention Specialist Linda Hartung described her office's programs to help youth learn coping skills and build safe environments at school.

Representatives of other agencies ranging from schools to the Charlotte House Domestic Violence Shelter spoke of close connections with Wahkiakum Mental Health.

School personnel feel strong support from the community and good connections with mental health, said Wendt Elementary/Thomas Middle School Principal Theresa Libby and Wahkiakum High School Principal Dan Castler.

Staff try to build close connections with students, Libby said, and the schools use a variety of curriculums to build social coping skills.

Castler commented that he was interested in the expertise of the people in the room and that he would like to involve student leaders in programs.

Undersheriff Mark Howie remarked that his office receives many calls related to depression and possible suicide. He said officers are trained to reach out to people in trouble, and that it would be good to have a program to remind them of risk factors.

Representatives of Lower Columbia Parents, Friends and Families of Lesbians and Gays commented that they hold monthly group support meetings for people about sexual orientation issues.

In her portion of the program, Jadwisiak said youth can become depressed for a variety of reasons, and because they're young and relatively inexperienced in dealing with life, depression can seem an insurmountable problem.

It can start with a family history of mental illness or drug and alcohol use; it can stem from learning disorders or physical appearance; it can come from disability or illness or dealing with sexual orientation, or it can simply start from anxiety.

As depression builds, youth generally will show signs of change in eating or sleeping habits, in sexual behavior, in personality, problems with authority, school performance, over reaction, or physical ailments.

Most youth who try suicide use guns. They're readily available in most homes, and if not, a youth will have an acquaintance whose family has guns.

"Responsible gun ownership is a must," Jadwisiak said. "It could be someone else's kid who uses your unsecured gun."

If a person suspects a youth may be severely depressed, "show you care," Jadwisiak said. "Ask questions about what you see. Ask if they're okay.

"Ask the question directly: Are you thinking about killing yourself?"

Some signs of imminent risk are having desperate feelings, disturbed sleep, trouble with the law, a recent suicide attempt, putting affairs in order, lack of interest or pleasure in all things, lack of physical energy, talk of suicide or death, and planning for suicide.

If the youth's responses show a tendency to suicide, one should call for professional help.

"If you ask them if they're thinking of harming themselves, call for help and don't leave them till help comes," she said.