POTSDAM – St. Lawrence Health (SLH) has a team of trained Behavioral Health specialists available to assist individuals who are facing a personal or inner crisis. In addition, multiple resources throughout St. Lawrence County are available for 24/7 assistance.
September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day, and St. Lawrence Health wants the entire North County and beyond to know support and resources are available.
“There are many online resources, text lines, and crisis hotlines that provide support to a person who is struggling. The best thing anyone can do is reach out when they are having a difficult time,” noted Gouverneur Hospital Behavioral Health Services Director Heather Rich, LCSW, CASAC-MC. “Most individuals wait until they are in crisis, or feel they cannot reach out until they are in a crisis, but that is not true. Resources are available to support people even if they think it’s a small problem.
“I encourage everyone to reach out no matter how small they think their problem is. We will never think of you as a bother or a burden; unfortunately, many feel this way and it becomes a barrier to them when reaching out for help,” she added.
The St. Lawrence County Suicide Awareness Coalition (https://stlawco.gov/Departments/CommunityServices/24HoursCrisisServices) is a great resource for learning more about suicide awareness; they offer training for community members and have informational materials available.
One of SLH’s counselors is part of the Coalition, and she provided information on suicides in the County over the recent past.
2019: 12 suicide deaths, 11 male and 1 female
2020: 15 suicides, 12 male, 3 female
2021: 18 suicides, 14 male, 4 female
2022: 12 suicides, 7 male, 5 female
Other statistics include men die by suicide more often than women; women attempt suicide more often; working men between the ages of 35–65 die by suicide more often; for every life lost to suicide, 25 people will attempt; for every suicide, 135 people are…
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