Colorado Researchers Present Innovative Approach at Public Educational
Session
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| Photo from Flikr by Artist Greta Ceresini |
Denver, Colorado. October 1, 2014. While access to fire arms is a
politically-charged issue in the U.S., the fact remains that in a recent study
of firearm suicides among youths ages 17 and under, 82% used a firearm
belonging to a family member, usually a parent. Most efforts to prevent suicide
focus on why people take their lives; but the suicide prevention field
has become increasingly interested in the fact that how a person
attempts suicide plays a key role in whether they live or die. For this reason,
reducing a suicidal person’s access to highly lethal means is an important part
of a comprehensive approach to suicide prevention.
To
highlight how this approach is being implemented in Colorado, the Suicide
Prevention Coalition of Colorado is hosting an educational session on October
8th to learn about a means restriction education program at Children's
Hospital. Amy Becker from Children's Hospital and Sara Brandspigel from the
Colorado School of Public Health and Environment will present on this
innovative suicide prevention program designed to restrict adolescent access to
firearms and lethal medications. Preliminary findings will be presented and
attendees will learn how the program may be adopted in other hospitals in
Colorado.
This
educational session is free and open to the public and will take place from
9:30-10:30 on October 8 at The Trails Recreation Center (16799 E Lake Ave
Centennial CO 80016). Participants may call in at 712-432-0370 access code
597856#.
For more
information about this event, please contact Jarrod Hindman at jarrod.hindman@state.co.us or
303-692-2539.
For more
information about how restricting access to lethal means is an effective
suicide prevention strategy visit: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/means-matter/
For
more information about how restricting access to lethal means is an effective
suicide prevention strategy visit: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/means-matter/
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About
the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Colorado: The Suicide Prevention Coalition of Colorado (SPCC)
was formed in 1999, when concerned citizens set out to create a statewide
agency with the purpose of preventing suicide and creating a resource network
for those who were working to prevent suicide around the state. Today, SPCC’s
membership of concerned agencies, organizations and individuals who are working
in the areas of suicide prevention, intervention and postvention has statewide
reach. The mission of the SPCC is to reduce suicide and its impact for all
Coloradans through advocacy, collaboration and education. www.suicidepreventioncolorado.org
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