In a mental health crisis, a conversation with an empathetic listener can be live-saving. But when someone needs in-person help, there's a shortage of resources in many parts of the country.
Mental health advocates hope the new hotline will make it much easier to get support if you're in crisis or helping someone who is. Here's how it works and what could stand in its way.
With the new three-digit number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline set to launch in days, several states have been beset by staffing crunches, dropped or rerouted calls and lack of planning.
The 988 national phone system is designed to help those experiencing a mental health crisis. It will enhance access and encourage continued building of services to help reduce suicide and overdose in Georgia.
Ali Norris organized a countywide Out of the Darkness walk to raise awareness of and money for suicide prevention after losing her brother and a classmate.
Two months before the walk, a teacher in her school died by suicide.
A bipartisan group of Georgia lawmakers is working to get a bill across the Legislature’s finish line that would remove barriers that prevent families of police officers who died by suicide from collecting the same benefits as survivors of officers who die in the line of duty.
Gun buying among African Americans has soared in recent years. So have suicide rates among young black men. Gun safety efforts and suicide prevention need to address race and cultural differences.
Firearm-related deaths are continuing their rapid rise in the U.S., with a new study finding they have overtaken car crashes as the leading cause of "years of potential life lost" due to trauma.
In January, the Pew Charitable Trusts launched a project dedicated to reducing suicide rates by making risk assessment a part of routine hospital visits.
The new strategy is called "postvention." It means having a plan built on truth, compassion and counseling that quickly addresses the mental health needs of friends and classmates after a suicide.
Recent data from Georgia’s state health department show an increase in suicide attempts by teenage girls. That’s why the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities is hosting a girls teen summit Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021.
Increased funding for mental health treatment is desperately needed in Georgia, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only made things worse. The state has a total of 533 beds for adults in crisis with a mental health or substance use emergency.
A cluster of suicides in Las Vegas, plus a troubling rise in youth suicide attempts observed in ERs nationwide, is raising fears that the pandemic is fueling a children's mental health crisis.
If a young person says they want to end their life, how do you help? First, don't panic. Suicide is preventable. Here's advice for helping young people in crisis, from people who've lived through it.
