Suicide Prevention Week September 9-15

September 9th through September 15th is National Suicide Prevention Week and World Suicide Prevention Day is September 10th. Please join HeartLine in supporting suicide prevention. Together we can reduce the number of lives shaken by a needless and tragic death. In the United States, one person completes suicide every 14.2 minutes. It is estimated that 4.73 million people in the United States are survivors of suicide (those who have lost a loved one to suicide). The suicide rate for 15 to 24 years old has more than doubled since the mid-1950s and the suicide rate remains highest for adults 75 years of age and older. HeartLine strives to raise awareness about suicide, which is an alarming problem in Oklahoma. The state ranks 12th in the nation in number of annual deaths by suicide and suicide is the second leading cause of death among Oklahomans ages 10 to 24.

If you would like to get involved in suicide prevention efforts, please consider volunteering for HeartLine’s Youth Suicide Prevention Initiative, the Healthy Education for Life Program (HELP). You can make a difference by becoming a volunteer HELP presenter! HeartLine needs community volunteers in order to expand HELP into more Oklahoma schools and youth-serving organizations. Please contact Rachel Yates at 405-840-9396 ext. 107 to learn more about upcoming HELP volunteer training sessions in the Oklahoma City metro area.

HeartLine connects Oklahomans to help, hope, and information- 24 hours a day through 2-1-1 information and referral, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255), the Oklahoma Problem Gambling Helpline 1-800-522-4700, the Parents Careline 405-848-CARE (2273), and the Healthy Education for Life Program (HELP). To find out more about HeartLine, call the HeartLine business office at 405-840-9396 or visit the website at www.heartlineoklahoma.org. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Lifeline is free, confidential, and available 24/7. HeartLine answers the Lifeline for 76 of 77 counties in Oklahoma.