News
New Anti-Suicide Campaign Solicits Help From Peers, Families of At-Risk Native Youth
The campaign is called “Lead the change: Speak. Connect. Act.”
By Bill McAllister
Everyone knows it's a problem.
Alaska tops the nation in suicides, and the highest rate is among young native men
Many prevention approaches have been tested, but a campaign with a slightly different angle was unveiled today.
The campaign is called “Lead the change: Speak. Connect. Act.”
It comes from the Southcentral Foundation, the non-profit health care affiliate of regional Native corporation Cook Inlet Region Inc.
And it isn't aimed directly at potentially suicidal youth, but rather at the people who love them.
A federal grant enabled the foundation to do a $40,000 wrap of a People Mover bus, showcasing the agency's new message about getting help for youths who are considering suicide.
"This may be the most important thing we've ever done in wrapping one of our buses," said Mayor Dan Sullivan at an event at the Anchorage Native Primary Care Center. "These buses drive all over town; it'll expose this campaign to literally tens of thousands of people. And hopefully, hopefully, we can create some change, no matter how small, in our community."
The foundation also is getting the word out through public service announcements on television and displays at the airport and bus stops.
"We're reaching out to family members, friends, trusted adults, people that are around youth that are willing to help and speak, connect, act about suicide prevention," said Amanda Murdock, a clinical associate with Southcentral Foundation. "We really want people to be comfortable with warning signs and ways to help."
Native youth are being trained to recognize and respond to actions indicating that peers might kill themselves.
"I know I have the skill and ability to help somebody if they have thoughts of suicide, and I could point a friend or a classmate in the right directions for the right resources," said Caitlin Stewman. "And I could help bring them to a better place by giving them hope."
In fact, the campaign itself was largely shaped by youth.
"We wanted to get the voice straight from our youth,” said Amber Latham, a clinical associate supervisor with the foundation. We didn't want to just come up with something for them. We asked them questions -- 'what do you think would make a difference for your peers, a positive difference?' So this is what they came up with."
And now the community at large is being called upon to keep an eye out for youth on the brink.
According to the state's statistics, Alaskan boys between the ages of 15 and 24 commit suicide at a rate of 34 per 100,000.
The rate for Alaska Native young men is 141, more than four times higher.
