Your donation to the Suncoast Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program is always welcome!

What’s happening in suicide prevention Tampa Bay...

Oct 26th  Out of the Darkness walk at South Straub Park in beautiful downtown St. Pete. The walk is a special time of memory for those we have lost but also a time for healing and encouragement.
Contact: Debbie Daharsh (727)612-7032; ootdstpete@gmail.com
Details: http://afsp.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=2187

Oct 29th Our 5th Tuesday guest speaker, Barb Hennessy, will speak on STRESS: Recognize it; Resolve it, Reduce it
Details: www.thejoywithin.us

Nov 10th The Street Thundercats Motorcycle Club of Tampa presents 6th Annual Suicide Awareness Ride at Club 92 10101 E Hwy 92 Tampa Fl. 33610.
Registration starts  at 1pm Cars are welcome.$15. Donation includes food. The ride ends at Peabody’s 15333 Amberly Dr Tampa Fl. If you are not riding join us at 2pm at Peabody’s. Lots of fun for the whole family raffle with amazing prizes.
Kick Stands up: 2:30.
Questions: STCMC.Mother.Chapter@gmail.com or
call 314-GO-STCMC (314-467-8262).
All proceeds go to Suncoast Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program

Nov 23rd International Suicide Survivors’ Day at Suncoast Hospices
5771 Roosevelt Blvd Clearwater Fl. 33760.
Pre-register: www.tinyurl.com/isos2013
Contact: Jason Tompkins LCSW 813-784-0152.
Check-in: Starts at 12:30 begins at 1pm-3pm

In the News

10/10/12 A recent report on causes of death shows that suicide has now overtaken traffic accidents as the leading cause of injury-related death in the US. [click here for article]

06/09/12 1 in 12 teens have attempted suicide: report CDC finds suicide among high school students on the rise

By Meghan Neal / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Nearly 1 in 6 high school students has seriously considered suicide, and 1 in 12 has attempted it, according to the semi-annual survey on youth risk behavior published Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention…

Overall, the suicide rate among teens has climbed in the past few years, from 6.3% in 2009 to 7.8% in 2011, numbers which reflect the trend gaining national attention as more teen suicides are reported as a result of bullying…

The CDC anonymously surveyed more than 15,000 high school students in the U.S. over a one-year period, with a 95% confidence rate.

Click here to read complete article.

It took 3 years to get “The Suicide Prevention Education Bill” passed and for Gov. Crist to sign it into law on June 4, 2010.  A year later, the state legislators and Gov. Scott gutted it.

The state legislators took away the opportunity for teachers to receive continuing education credits for a course on suicide prevention that was available on line at no cost to the state or the teachers. Rick Scott could have vetoed that paragraph and chose not to.

Gov. Rick Scott also took the Office of Suicide Prevention out of the governors office and moved it into the Department of Family Services with a person that is allotted in their pay to work 8 hours a week on suicide prevention for the state of Florida where suicide is still the 9th cause of death. Our new Director of the Office of Suicide Prevention noticed the significant drop in the people attending the Day at the Capital. She has already secured a date for Suicide Prevention Day at the capital for 2013 and we will not be tagging with Behavioral Health Day. It will return to the annual day at the capital for us. One of the goals for the Florida Suicide Prevention Coalition this year is to increase the number of hours that the Director works for us. We know she put in more than the 8 hours to help plan the event for this year. She is now working with us to get the education bill re-enacted.

11/18/09 The Neurobiology of Suicide
10/05/08 Bailout Provides More Mental Health Coverage
09/28/08 Relatives of suicide victims gather for annual walk
09/10/08 Group helps promote suicide prevention

Suncoast Yellow Ribbon

STOP
If you are thinking about suicide
Click Here NOW!

National crisis line: 1-800-SUICIDE
(1-800-784-2433)
Or
National Youth Crisis Hotline: 1-800-442-HOPE (4673)
The National Youth Crisis Hotline provides counseling and referrals to local drug treatment centers, shelters, and counseling services. Responds to youth dealing with pregnancy, molestation, suicide, and child abuse. Operates 24 hours, seven days a week.

Signs of someone thinking about suicide

• Abrupt changes in personality

• Giving away possessions

• Previous suicide attempt

• Use of drugs and/or alcohol

• Change in eating habits

• Change in sleeping pattern

• Unwillingness to communicate

• Depression

• Unusual sadness, discouragement

• Talk of wanting to die

• Running away from home or truancy from school

• Chronic pain

• Rebelliousness, reckless behavior

• Neglect of academic work

• Neglect of personal appearance

• Family disruptions such as divorce, losing loved one

Timothy McClelland
7/9/84-1/21/02
Nicholas Yaros
12/25/86-6/11/02
Brandon Pingleton
9/21/87-8/10/03
Matthew Jehs
3/15/88-1/1/05
and to all those we love and lost to suicide.

"learn from this and help each other" ^®
PS in Tim McClelland's suicide note

Florida's Statewide Office of
Suicide Prevention
"Help promote hope."

Suncoast Yellow Ribbon

Bonnie McClelland, Founder
Suncoast Yellow Ribbon
8567-108th St N
Seminole, FL 33772
bonnie@suncoastyr.org
727-394-8222

Teen Suicide in Florida

The latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control reveal that, in the United States, 1,863 youths, ages 13 to 19, ended their lives by suicide in 2010. Florida reported 64 of those suicides. This was 35% fewer deaths than Florida's high of 99 suicides in 2005. Nation-wide, suicide is the third leading cause of death among teens (accidents were number one followed by homicides); Florida is no exception. - SYR 10/17/13

Click to read the CDC feature Preventing Suicide