Weekly News Round-Up Mar. 29- Apr. 3, 2016
Hello Friends,
Every day
we scan news headlines and social media for items of interest to the field of
suicide prevention. Here’s what we found last week:
US military suicides remain high
for 7th year – USA Today
April 3, 2016
265 active-duty military members died by suicide last year according to the US
Government. The number of suicides of military service members has steadily
increased since 2001, when 145 members died. This number more than doubled in
2012 when 321 members died. 2012 saw the highest number of suicide deaths. In
order to combat the growing suicide rate, the military allocated $5 million for
a study that came up with algorithms to predict groups most at risk for suicide
within the military. With this information, the Department of Veterans Affairs
will launch a suicide prevention pilot program.
Calgary father says mental health
system left family with more scars – Metro
April 3, 2016
This article follows the story of a man who was hospitalized for mental health
issues, where he says he was abused by hospital staff and told he would never
amount to anything. The family has filed complaints with the government, and
the man has now found better mental health care through his psychiatrist. This
story is one of many that have come out recently about the failings of
Alberta’s mental health care system, especially in relation to hospitalization.
Special Report, Part 3: New path
for a grief-stricken Innu community – Montreal Gazette
April 1, 2016
This is the last piece of a 3-part series examining a small Innu community that
experienced 5 suicides in just 9 months. This last installment talks about the
ways in which the community is healing from their losses, and how they are
working to prevent future suicides.
Read the entire 3 part series here
How Anderson Cooper and Gloria
Vanderbilt coped after the suicide of their beloved brother and son, Carter
Cooper – People
Mar. 31, 2016
In an interview with People magazine, CNN Anchor Anderson Cooper and mother
Gloria Vanderbilt candidly discuss how they dealt with the suicide death of
their brother and son.
Insurance company drops
‘discriminatory’ policy on suicide attempts – CBC
Mar. 30, 2016
After an investigation led by the CBC, Desjardins Group has become the first
insurance company to have changed its policy in regards to suicide attempts.
Previously, anyone who attempted suicide was denied benefit payment, but now,
that has been changed.
Alberta Health Services tackles
increased suicide rate – Metro
Mar. 30, 2016
Alberta Health Services (AHS) has said that, in response to the 2015 projected
increase in suicides in Alberta, it has increased resources to the two
hospitals dealing with the most mental health incidents; the Royal Alex and the
University hospitals. AHS has also increased funding for public call boxes on the
High Level Bridge, and they sit on the City of Edmonton steering committee for
municipal suicide prevention.
‘I was suicidal, but I survived’:
Prison Break star Wentworth Miller responds to fat-shaming meme – National
Post
Mar. 29, 2016
Actor Wentworth Miller, known best for the TV show “Prison Break,”
responded to a meme comparing his body pre and post-Prison break. In his
response, Miller discussed how after Prison Break ended, he became depressed,
and turned to food for comfort. He also expressed frequent suicide
ideation.
Why I told the truth about my
sister’s suicide – Chatelaine
Mar. 29, 2016
It is not common for obituaries of those lost to suicide to include the cause
of death, but one woman decided to honestly state in her sister’s obituary that
she was plagued by depression and died by suicide.