Last week we briefly mentioned an upcoming town hall focusing on youth mental health, as September is Suicide Prevention Month.
That’s taking place on Tuesday starting at 6 p.m. in the amphitheater at the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center (2051 Lower Roswell Road).
It’s being presented jointly by District 2 Cobb Commissioner Jerica Richardson and the Cobb Collaborative, a non-profit that works with struggling families and children.
Here’s more from the Cobb Collaborative about the issue, and how you can sign up to attend:
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. A very important component to preventing suicide is taking proper care of mental health. Approximately half of all individuals who die by suicide have a diagnosed mental health condition and research shows that 90% of them have experienced symptoms consistent with their conditions. According to the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI), “Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among people aged 10–34 and the 10th leading cause of death overall in the U.S.”
Awareness, advocacy, and action for mental health should begin early in life. Per the American Academy of Pediatrics, “It is imperative that we improve efforts around early recognition of mental health needs among children and adolescents and foster greater awareness of early warning signs. Early identification of mental health problems needs to be encouraged in preschool, childcare, K-12 education, health, child welfare, juvenile justice and substance use settings. Staff in these settings require additional training and technical assistance to understand the early warning signs of mental health problems, what to do about them and where to make referrals for further assistance.”
The event starts at 6 p.m. with a tabling session, followed by a speaker panel at 7 p.m.:
All are invited to come to listen to the panelists, have questions answered, and have an educational and enjoyable evening while learning about the importance of youth mental health. Register at: bit.ly/2YBNaQJ or via registration event link at www.cobbcollaborative.org.
For more information, contact Irene Barton, Cobb Collaborative Executive Director, at ibarton@cobbcollaborative.org
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