Wednesday, May 29, 2002

Suicide prevention plan released for Georgia

A plan for preventing suicide in Georgia was released last week at the Rosalynn Carter Georgia Mental Health Forum at the Carter Center in Atlanta.

Suicide is the state's ninth leading cause of death, claiming some 850 lives each year greater than the average number of homicides. It is also the third leading cause of death among Georgians 15 to 24 years of age.

The plan was developed by the Georgia Suicide Prevention Advocacy Network, written by Julie Chambliss and funded by a grant from the Georgia Department of Human Resources, using $250,000 allocated by the Georgia Legislature at the request of Gov. Roy Barnes.

"Suicide is a very serious, yet very preventable, public health problem," said Kathleen E. Toomey, M.D., M.P.H., director of DHR's Division of Public Health. "With greater public awareness and support for prevention resources we can save hundreds of lives. This plans shows us how."

The Georgia Suicide Prevention Plan outlines ways to prevent suicide deaths and suicidal behavior and the traumatic impact of suicide on loved ones, following guidelines provided by the United States Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent Suicide.

Using a systematic public health model, the plan defines suicide, identifies risk and protective factors, and outlines and evaluates intervention methods. Action steps aim to develop support for suicide prevention; reduce stigma for people who seek help; and involve communities, helping agencies, professionals, families and individuals in planning and implementing prevention efforts. Other steps would strengthen prevention and treatment resources and improve systems for studying the problem and evaluating the success of prevention programs.

"The Georgia Suicide Prevention Plan is a living document that provides a framework for getting everyone in Georgia involved in preventing suicide," said Jerry Weyrauch, who with his wife Elsie founded SPAN USA in 1996 in Marietta. "As a national grassroots organization, SPAN USA is proud to form a partnership with many Georgia public and private organizations to do something about the problem of suicide in our home state."

For a copy of The Georgia Suicide Prevention Plan, visit the SPAN USA Web site at www.spanusa.org, or contact Laurell Reussow of the Georgia Suicide Prevention Plan Management Team at gspp@snapusa.org or 770-740-0632.

Additional information on suicide in Georgia, including suicide rates by county for the years 1994-98, is provided by the Division of Public Health's report "Suicide in Georgia: 2000," which can be obtained from Karen Flemister, Epidemiology, 14th floor, Two Peachtree Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30303 or 404-657-3103 or on the Web at http://health.state.ga.us/programs/injuryprevention /pdfs/suicidemanual.pdf.