The Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) is partnering with community groups to bring attention to suicide prevention efforts through events and trainings during the month of September.
This year, Take Action for Mental Health—California’s Mental Health Movement—is encouraging a special focus on “Thriving At All Ages.”
Some common tenets of wellness benefit people of all ages, but the specific ways that wellness and resilience are supported change through the lifespan. Strategies and activities that worked well in younger years may no longer be enjoyable or accessible later in life, but resiliency can be built at any age, according to the state’s campaign.
This year, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Out of the Darkness Arcata Community Walk will be held in-person on Sunday, Sept. 11. Attendees will meet at the Arcata Plaza at 10 a.m. Visit the Foundation’s website to register.
On Wednesday, Sept. 28, local mental health clinicians will offer a virtual Youth Suicide Prevention Training from 3 to 5 p.m. Visit bit.ly/3ch1hSr to register.
There are also two opportunities to learn the basics of suicide prevention available in the community. Public Health is providing Livingworks Start, a 90-minute self-paced training online. Email publichealthsvp@co.humboldt.ca.us to sign up. This training is free while supplies last.
On Tuesday, Oct. 11, Public Health will deliver a virtual Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR) Gatekeeper training from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Visit bit.ly/3y3T8HQ to register.
Community members are also welcome to join Humboldt County Suicide Prevention Network or sign-up for the Suicide Prevention Network email list. SPN meets bi-monthly via Zoom.
If you are concerned for yourself or someone else, know you are not alone, suicide is preventable and help is available. If you need someone to talk to, contact any of these 24-hour hotlines:
Additional support can be found by exploring an expanded list of resources, click here for an English list and here for a Spanish list.
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