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New Plan Proposed To Lower Wisconsin Suicides

en.wikipedia.org

The state and other agencies are out with a new plan to address suicide in Wisconsin. On average each year 724 persons take their own lives. Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the state, and the second leading cause of death due to injury.

Joyce Allen directs the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Division within the Department of Health Services. She says a new strategy shows what everyone in Wisconsin can do to prevent suicide. Allen says one goal is to prevent the likelihood people will become suicidal, another is to help people who are suicidal to get help,make sure services are of high quality, and then see if those efforts are making a difference....

"....everyone plays a role in suicide prevention. Where ever you are, what ever you do, you can actually help prevent suicide. So if you're an individual, you can learn the warning signs of suicide...."

Allen says she hopes local policy makers and people working in mental health to find out more information. She says if there is a local coalition, the public can join that coalition to help. In the Northwoods there's the Northern Lakes Chapter of the National Alliance For Mental Illness.
More information on the the report "Wisconsin Suicide Prevention Strategy" is on the Department of Health Services website.

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