Efforts set to raise suicide prevention awareness

     Within the next week or two, a new resource will be available to help those -- especially teens -- deal with life’s problems.

     Kids Matter 2 is a “cyber alert system to report any issue or concern,” Chauncey Hardy told the Avoyelles Community & Youth Coalition (ACYC) at its meeting Oct. 20.

     Hardy, director of prevention services with the state Central Louisiana Human Services District, said Kids Matter 2 should be operational in early November. It is a non-profit organization funded by sponsors to provide professional counselors 24 hours a day, every day, to answer calls and help people find solutions to difficult issues.

     “It is a social media-friendly reporting and resource site,” Hardy said. “If someone is being bullied or knows about a bullying situation, or if someone is contemplating suicide or is concerned about a friend who might be, they can call Kids Matter or text, or Facebook or email and someone will be on the other end to respond to them right then.”

     Hardy emphasized that Kids Matter 2 “is not a 911 line. However, if they call with an immediate situation that requires emergency response, we will call 911 and alert them to the situation.”

     If the caller has a problem and is in need of a counselor, one will be there to help them with the problem. If a caller is seeking resource material on an issue like bullying or suicide prevention, they will be able to access resource materials.

     “The whole idea behind Kids Matter 2 is savings kids’ lives,” Hardy said. “We just don’t want to see any more of our young people taking their own lives.”

     When Kids Matter 2 is accessible, its website will be kidsmatter2.org

     One of the major programs of ACYC is to address the important issue of teen suicide, and issues that feed that problem -- such as drugs, relationship issues and bullying.

     Just recently, Avoyelles Parish was hit with a suicide said to be related to bullying at school, a suicide following the break-up of a relationship and a drug-related death.

    Coroner L.J. Mayeux called suicide in Avoyelles an “epidemic.” He said there have been nine suicides in the parish so far this year -- which would equate to a suicide rate of about 22 per 100,000 population. The national suicide rate is 12.6 per 100,000.

 

    ACYC finalized plans for a “tailgate” event this Friday at the Marksville High football game, to raise awareness of teen suicide and efforts to combat it.

    Hot dogs will be cooked at the site and a balloon launch is planned.

    Coalition members said the event will be “more of an observance,” and a time for reflection on the gravity of the issue, rather than a festival atmosphere.

    Members said the organization should organize a larger event -- including booths, vendors, T-shirts, 5K run and other “festival type” activities for Suicide Prevention Month next September.

    Hardy said an earlier planned event was cancelled due to the two suicides of young men in September. It was felt the event might be deemed inappropriate during that period of community mourning.

    ACYC was not the only organization discussing the need for more direct action to address teen suicide in the parish.

    School Board President Michael Lacombe told the board’s Finance Committee later that day that the board “dropped the ball” by not allowing Volunteers of America to set up a program in the schools to address students’ mental health.

    “VOA came to help us with mental health services for our students,” Lacombe said. “We get reports saying that Avoyelles has one of the highest suicide rates, and we have done nothing.”

    The VOA program was shelved due to concerns that it might adversely affect existing mental health service providers in the parish. VOA would have funded its operation through Medicaid, which is the primary funding source for current providers.