FREE Information Session - Youth Suicide

FREE Information Session - Youth Suicide: Recognizing Risk and Talking About It

Our community has been touched by the loss of Daron Richardson who passed away last weekend as a result of suicide.  The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre extends its sincere condolences to theRichardson family and all of Daron’s friends and classmates. 

The Richardson family’s strength and openness in this difficult time reminds us how important it is to talk about mental health. These conversations can be first step towards helping people who need it but many people struggle with what to say. To help address that issue, The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre will be holding a special free information session on Wednesday, November 24, 2010 at 7:00 pm entitled “Youth Suicide: Recognizing Risk and Talking About It”. 

“Youth Suicide: Recognizing Risk and Talking About It”

A free information session from the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre 

Registration is requested

Attendees can click HERE to register or go to (http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SPP7CT3) 

Date and Time
Wednesday, November 24, 2010

7 to 9 pm (doors open at 6:30) 

Location
Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre

1145 Carling Avenue, Ottawa 

Speakers

• Annmarie Nicholson, Director Volunteer Services and Trainer - Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training, Royal Ottawa Health Care Group
• Karen Poole, Chief of Social Work, Royal Ottawa Health Care Group
• James Thomas, Word is Out

         Presentation Summary

After accidents, suicide is the second-most common cause of death among young people in Canada.  An alarming 32% of young women and 18% of young men report having thoughts of suicide.  While females are twice as likely to attempt suicide, males complete suicide twice as often as women. When suicide occurs, the question most often asked by those left behind is “why?” and “how could we have prevented this?”  

Join us as we explore youth suicide. We will talk about the causes of suicide among young people, how to recognize risk and how to respond when someone you care about needs help. James Thomas, from the Word Is Out project, will also join us to share his own family’s personal story of loss and healing.

Talking about youth suicide is the first step in prevention. Our hope is that this presentation will help us to continue as a community to not only talk, but to listen as well.

Sue Riley

Communications Coordinator, Royal Ottawa Health Care Group