Scioto County Suicide Prevention Coalition
Working together for LIFE. STRENGTH. HOPE
The Scioto County Suicide Prevention Coalition is a group of Counselors, social workers, social service agencies, faith-based partners, businesses, and citizens united in addressing the various issues of suicide throughout Scioto County. Raising awareness, providing trainings, education schools, general prevention and responding in the aftermath of a tragedy are all services the coalition strives to accomplish.
Another important service the Scioto County Suicide Prevention Coalition provides is the raising of community mental health knowledge in order to reduce the stigma associated with depression and other mental illnesses. Mental illnesses, like cancer or other disease, are treatable.
Suicide can strike almost anyone during their life. Suicide thoughts can occur when people are in intensely painful emotional states. Those persons may lose hope and see no resolution to their difficulties. In the U.S. a suicide occurs every 11 minutes.
Enhancing Scioto County’s capacity for suicide awareness and prevention.
Know the facts.
FACT: Depression is extremely common, Affecting 1 in every 7 or 8 Americans each year.
FACT: Between 75-80% of people who commit suicide display signs of their suicidal thinking (e.g.it, giving away
Their possessions, posting messages through social media).
FACT: Many people who consider suicide are ambiguous about death and may talk or plan a suicide with the hopes someone will stop them.
FACT: Actually, when someone is feeling better the opportunity for suicide increases (they have more energy and feel they are thinking more clearly and able to plan a suicide more carefully).
FACT: Suicide rates decrease around the holidays
FACT: Suicide rates actually decrease during the winter. In fact, it is in the spring when suicide rates increase.
FACT: Talking about suicide does not cause suicide. In fact, talking openly about suicide helps to reduce the stigma and shame surrounding it. Consequently, talking about suicide helps to keep it from happening.
Want More Information?
If you would like more information about the coalition, or if you are interested in participating, then please contact us at Shawnee Family Health Center by calling 740-354-7702 or via e-mail sciotospc@shawnee.org
Participating Organizations:
- Ascend
- ADAMHS Board
- Equitas Health
- Family and Children First Council of Scioto County
- Hopesource
- Scioto County Juvenile Court
- Mainstreet Portsmouth
- Minford Schools
- Portsmouth City Health Department
- Shawnee Family Health Center
- Southern Ohio Medical Center
- Valley Schools
- Valley View
- Veterans Administration
