Teen suicide prevention leaders and supporters are pictured at a “Prevent Suicide” workshop titled E Malama ‘Ola on February 20, 2016.
University of Hawaiʻi Psychiatry expert Dr. Deborah Goebert will appear on the television program Insights on PBS Hawaiʻi to talk about the important work she and collaborators have forged statewide to curb youth suicide. PBS Hawaiʻi will broadcast the program on Thursday, April 5th at 8:00 p.m. and it also will be available later on line.
The program is timely because in April and May, youth are typically under the added stress of pending exams or they can become overwhelmed by the complexity of what to do after transitioning into a new school or graduating from high school.
FAST FACT: Like other states, Hawaiʻi has seen a significant increase in suicide death rates over the last ten years (Hawaiʻi State Department of Health). One person dies by suicide in Hawaiʻi every two days.
The program is titled, “What Do We Need to Know and Understand About Teen Suicide in Hawai‘i?” Joining Dr. Goebert on the TV panel include Kealoha Hooper (Molokaʻi), Gina Kaulukukui (Kauaʻi) and Miki Nishizawa (Hawaiʻi Youth Leadership Council for Suicide Prevention).
Dr. Deborah Goebert, professor in the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) Department of Psychiatry and Dr. (DrPH) Jane Chung-Do, assistant professor in the UH Mānoa Office of Public Health Studies, wrote last December in the Journal of Health Disparities and Practice about the success of a three-year pilot program that established a peer-to-peer network to reach out to teens contemplating suicide. By working with six youth and community organizations that served ethnic minority and rural communities, the University of Hawaiʻi and collaborators adapted for Hawaiʻi the type of youth and community-led interventions that had been proven successful elsewhere in reducing suicide risk.
Read more at The Suicide Prevention Resource Center, which includes helpful telephone numbers and additional information. https://www.sprc.org/states/hawaii
Related Story:
Read more about the UH and statewide suicide prevention effort.