2008 Annual Yellow Ribbon Youth Suicide Prevention Awards Luncheon to Raise Awareness

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) December 5, 2008 -- Metairie, LA (December 5, 2008) – On Thursday, January 15, 2009 from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm, the Napoleon Room of the Jefferson Parish East Bank Regional Library will be crowded with excited youth, adults, school teachers, and community leaders working to raise awareness about a cause that has become increasingly distressing in recent years: YOUTH SUICIDE PREVENTION.

In Louisiana, suicide ranks third as the overall cause of death for young people while 90% of teenagers who die by suicide have dealt with a mental health problem, usually depression. In response to these overwhelming numbers, the Louisiana Partnership for Youth Suicide Prevention (LPYSP) and the Jefferson Parish Youth Suicide Prevention Education Coalition (JYSPEC) are co-sponsoring the Annual Yellow Ribbon Youth Suicide Prevention Awards Luncheon – one in a series of youth suicide prevention events taking place across Louisiana. The awards luncheon is intended to honor and celebrate 6 Louisiana students who have won the 2008 Yellow Ribbon Youth Suicide Prevention Essay and Poster Contest and have shown exceptional creativity and support to this important cause. Additionally, other students, teachers, and families from some of the schools most affected by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav, and Ike will be participating in the annual awards luncheon. To enhance this special event, youth speakers have been invited to speak and a skit is scheduled to be performed to demonstrate the impact of suicide on survivors.

“We are so excited to celebrate the 6 statewide award winners of 2008. They each did a wonderful job showing the impact that suicide leaves on those left behind and also that there is hope for those who have depression,” said Trina Evans-Williams, the State Project Director for LPYSP. “We really want to bring home the message that suicide is not the answer and that there is support and help out there. Additionally, it is important to talk about suicide in order to break down any stigma which prevents someone from getting help and talking about what they’re going through.”

LPYSP is funded by the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Mental Health. LPYSP’s goal is to reduce youth suicides and suicidal behavior in Louisiana. This project targets approximately 10,000 youth and young adults ages 10-24 who are at an increased risk for suicidal ideation, experiencing emotional and psychological problems while living in hurricane-impacted areas of Louisiana. LPYSP promotes awareness that youth suicide is a public health problem, creates local leadership through the development and support of local coalitions, increases high-quality peer support programs in the community, expands gatekeeper trainings, and expands and improves data collection systems related to suicide and suicide prevention. [i/]

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