Youth, adults at suicide conference
Posted 5/16/02

Suicide ranks as the second leading cause of death for Minnesota teens.

Three Milaca High School students and two staff members participated in the Yellow Ribbon Campaign Conference Tuesday, April 30 at St. Cloud Hospital to show their commitment to suicide prevention.

According to the Conversations with Minnesota Teens About their Health and Well Being, a study published in 1999 by the Minnesota Department of Health, 26 percent of teen focus groups listed depression and suicide as a top problem.

The Mille Lacs County 2001 Minnesota Student Survey results continue to support their concern for suicide thoughts and attempts. Responses indicated that 26 percent of ninth grade girls and 23 percent of ninth grade boys have thought about killing themselves in the last year.

Six percent of ninth grade girls and seven percent of ninth grade boys have tried to kill themselves in the past year.

For every completed suicide, there are 20 attempts.

The Yellow Ribbon Campaign is a nationally recognized program that provides youth with the resources they need to seek help when they are at risk for suicide.

Students in the Fairview Lakes Yellow Ribbon Campaign program reported that if a student was considering suicide, they would first turn to friends, then a teacher or counselor, next to parents, then a pastor or minister and finally a coach.

As a result of the Yellow Ribbon training in the Fairview Lakes program, 82 percent of the student population said they would tell an adult if they had a friend who was considering suicide.

At the conference, an overview of suicide as a health issue was given by Candy Kragthorpe of the Minnesota Department of Health Suicide Prevention and Mental Health.

Rachel Schott, a yellow ribbon facilitator with the Light for Life Foundation of Minnesota, gave step-by-step instructions on how to implement a Yellow Ribbon Campaign at the community level.

And a panel of community members from southwest Minnesota gave their perspective on implementing the Yellow Ribbon Campaign.

The event was sponsored by CentraCare Health Foundationís Community Collaborative Committee.