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September declared Suicide Prevention Month
mayors

 

County Mayor Tim Stribling and Smithville Mayor Jimmy Poss signed proclamations Thursday declaring September Suicide Prevention Month in both DeKalb County and the City of Smithville.

 

DeKalb County's age-adjusted suicide rate was 15.7 per 100,000 people, translating into three reported suicide deaths in 2013, the most recent year county-specific figures are available for. Two of the victims were female and one was male. DeKalb’s 2012 numbers mirror the 2013 figures, and are also identical to the state average for 2013 as reported by the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network.

 

The local suicide rate was at 16.6 per 100,000 in 2006 and 2007, with three deaths each year, but the rate rose to 48.1 per 100,000 in 2008, when nine deaths were reported. The rate dropped to 26.5 per 100,000 in 2009 with five deaths reported, but shot back up to 37.4 per 100,000 in 2010, with seven deaths reported. DeKalb's rate was 26.5 per 100,000 with five deaths in 2011, and 15.9 per 100,000, with three suicides, in 2012.

 

From highest to lowest, the fourteen Upper Cumberland Counties ranked this way in 2013:

 

Pickett: 59.1 per 100,000 (3 deaths-also highest in state)

Overton: 45.3 (10 deaths)

White: 38.1 (10 deaths)

Smith: 26.2 (5 deaths)

Macon: 22.0 (5 deaths)

Putnam: 17.7(13 deaths)

Warren: 17.5 (7 deaths)

DeKalb: 15.7 (3 deaths)

Clay: 12.9 (1 death)

Fentress: 11.2 (2 deaths)

Cumberland: 10.4 (6 deaths)

Jackson: 8.7 (1 death)

Cannon: 7.3 (1 death)

Van Buren: 0

 

Nationwide, someone dies by suicide every 13 minutes. Though it is the second leading cause of death for people between the ages of 10 and 24, because suicide is considered such a “taboo” subject to think or to talk about, there are a lot of misconceptions about which individuals may be at risk, about when, how and why people might consider killing themselves, and about how best to help yourself or someone else who’s contemplating suicide.

 

The annual Light to Hope ceremony will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, September 1, at Cookeville Higher Education Campus (formerly the Cookeville campus of Nashville State Community College) at 1000 Neal Street in Cookeville.

 

The event is part of TSPN's annual Suicide Prevention Awareness Month observance, which is marked by awareness events, conferences, workshops, and memorials across the state during the month of September.

 

Confirmed speakers include Samantha Nadler, TSPN Middle Tennessee Regional Coordinator, and community activist Kim England. Musical guests include singer Selena Foutch and harpist Judith Sullivan.

 

The event will give friends and families the chance to honor the memory of loved ones lost to suicide, give support to the loved ones left behind, and education and awareness about a topic that is often kept in the shadows.

 

The proclamation signed by the mayors read:

 

WHEREAS, suicide is one of the most disruptive and tragic events a family and a community can experience, with more than 900 lives lost in Tennessee each year and an estimated 8-25 attempted suicides for each suicide death; and

 

WHEREAS, suicide is the 10th-leading cause of all deaths in Tennessee and the second-leading cause of death among people from the age of 15 to 24 (source: Tennessee Department of Health); and

 

WHEREAS, public awareness of this terrifying problem is the key to preventing further suffering and loss of life; and the risk for human self-destruction can be reduced through awareness, education and treatment; and as the highest risk for suicide is among the survivors of those who died by suicide or those who have attempted suicide; and

 

WHEREAS, suicide prevention has been declared a national priority by the President and Congress; and Tennessee declares suicide prevention as a state priority and the legislature, in partnership with TSPN, implements the Tennessee Strategy for Suicide Prevention based on the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention; and

 

WHEREAS, Tennessee is a national leader in the effort to prevent suicide, being one of the first states to develop a suicide prevention and evaluation plan covering the lifespan; and

 

WHEREAS, the Governor of Tennessee has appointed a Suicide Prevention Network Advisory Council to coordinate the implementation of the Tennessee Strategy for Suicide Prevention; and

 

WHEREAS, the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network is a grassroots collaboration of Tennesseans and organizations working to eliminate the stigma of suicide, educate the community about the warning signs of suicide, and ultimately reduce the rate of suicide in our state; and

 

WHEREAS, the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network is also committed to excellence in suicide prevention, and postvention.

 

Now, Therefore, I, County Mayor Tim Stribling and Smithville Mayor Jimmy Poss do hereby proclaim September, 2015 as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month in DeKalb County and Smithville, and do urge all citizens to work to prevent suicide and to raise awareness and tolerance around all people affected by this tragedy"