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Suicide Prevention Week is September 4-10
National Suicide Prevention Week is an annual week-long campaign to spread awareness of this leading cause of death and draw attention to the warning signs of suicide, particularly among young people. In 2020, suicide was the leading cause of death for children and young adults ages 10–24 in the state of Utah. Explore a collection of documentaries, short films, and resources about suicide prevention and mental health.
From PBS Utah
Hope Lives: Preventing Teen Suicide
Utah’s suicide rate has always been higher than that of the rest of the nation. Among teens ages 10 to 17, the suicide rate has tripled in less than a decade. On average two Utah teens attempt to end their lives every day. It can be easy to lose hope given the current trends showing teen suicide rising rates of suicide in the state.
Their stories are intertwined with interviews with experts as well as the story of a peer Hope Squad at Lone Peak High School in Highland, Utah that has reduced suicide rates.
LGBTQIA+ Youth Mental Health Series
As young people, figuring out who we are is tough. For those of us starting to figure out where we fit among the LGBTQIA+ community, that journey can be even tougher. Do I need a label for my identity? How do I connect with other people like me? What if I feel like it’s all too much to handle? The good news is, you don’t have to figure it out alone. Utah has resources.
Join Andrés Larios Brown, licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, as they guide us through some steps you (or the young people in your life) can take to explore your identities, build self love, and support your mental health along the way.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
If you are considering suicide, or if you or someone you know is in emotional crisis, please call or text 988. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.
More From PBS
Local USA, Decolonizing Mental Health
The mental health field operates around a centre defined by a whiteness of theory and practice. It’s a colonization that has rarely been questioned. By focusing on the work of therapists and individuals of color, DECOLONIZING MENTAL HEALTH calls for a redressal of the ways in which we define psychiatric illness while discussing what a more responsive mental health care system should look like.
Featured Airdates:
Facing Suicide
This film combines the poignant personal stories of people impacted by suicide with profiles of scientists at the forefront of research to reveal new insights into one of America’s most pressing mental health crises. Shining a light on this difficult topic can destigmatize suicide while revealing that there is help as well as hope for those at risk and their loved ones.
Featured Airdates:
Scattering CJ
When a heartbroken mom asked the world to help honor the memory of her beloved elder son, the loss of one became the journey of many. Scattering CJ is the story of how one mother's unexpected effort to heal unleashes the innate goodness of humanity.
Featured Airdates:
America ReFramed
Any Given Day
A filmmaker and three Chicagoans navigate the complexities of living with mental illness.
Our Time
PTSD and Mental Illness
PTSD and mental illness through the eyes of those often overlooked.
ken burns presents
Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness
Follow the journeys of more than 20 young Americans from all over the country and all walks of life, who have struggled with thoughts and feelings that have troubled—and, at times—overwhelmed them. Hiding in Plain Sight presents an unstinting look at both the seemingly insurmountable obstacles faced by those who live with mental disorders and the hope that many have found after that storm.
Season One Preview
Season One Episodes
Facing Suicide Toolkit
In the U.S., more than 54% of people have known someone who died by suicide. Still, researchers find reasons to hope as they learn more about the risk factors that can contribute to suicide and improved methods for prevention. Experts agree that all of us can play a part in preventing suicides by learning about risk factors, warning signs, how to limit access to deadly means and ways to respond.
Facing Suicide
Understanding Suicide
Suicide prevention experts are understanding more about the causes of suicide.
Facing Suicide
Seeing the Signs
Seeing the signs of suicide and acting with empathy can help save lives.
Facing Suicide
Facing Suicide: Reasons to Hope
Everyone has a role to play in preventing suicide. There are reasons to hope.
Facing Suicide
Facing Suicide: Means Matter
Limiting access to deadly means is critical in saving lives.
Facing Suicide
Facing Suicide: How to Respond
Learning how to respond to someone in crisis can help save lives.
