It has been nearly a year since the suicide deaths of four teens
shocked the Douglas County community, but memories of the tragedies
are still fresh in the minds of many.
While all of the deaths occurred in the same manner within a
short period of time on Nov. 16-17, 2008, police never found any
connection in the cases. One week later, news hit that another
teen, a 14-year-old girl from Highlands Ranch, had taken her own
life.
It was a rash of suicides unlike any other seen in the county’s
history, and answers to questions surrounding the devastating
incidents were hard to come by. Leslie Clemensen, student wellness
coordinator for the Douglas County School District, remembers
clearly the tremendous heartache felt by students and loved ones of
the victims in the aftermath. She has made it part of her mission
to make sure it never happens again.
The Douglas County School District has scheduled its latest
round of suicide intervention workshops, which started Oct. 19 and
equip parents, hospital employees, teachers and school counselors
with the tools necessary to identify indicators of a suicidal
person. Noticing the symptoms and simply talking to a person about
their feelings can literally mean the difference between life and
death.
It might come as a surprise to a well-to-do community with
notoriously good schools and strong family values, but Douglas
County ranks as the top county in the state for teen suicide
attempts. The rate is “significantly” higher than the state
average, Clemensen said. In addition, annual reports show that
Colorado consistently has one of the highest suicide rates in the
nation among all age groups.
In light of what happened last November, it is more important
than ever for the public to erase taboos, dispel myths and confront
the problem head-on.
“You will never know when you will run across a stranger or
student with suicidal thoughts, and you need to know what to do,”
she said. “Some people are not comfortable talking about it, but
you need the confidence to do it.”
The workshops, using internationally recognized Applied Suicide
Intervention Skills Training, or ASIST, are designed to enable
attendees to learn the protocols that are key to a successful
intervention.
Similar classes geared toward a younger audience are taught in
8th grade health classes throughout the Douglas County School
District. Assessments show that ninth-graders are especially at
risk because of pressures associated with transitioning. That’s why
reaching peers – the first line of defense in suicide prevention –
is so critical, said Clemensen, who also serves as a victim
advocate for the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Those seeking to curb the teen suicide rate have partnered for
the betterment of the community. The school district is helped by
law enforcement, hospitals and the Douglas County Suicide
Prevention Alliance, an organization that meets monthly.
The workshops are scheduled for November 9-10, March 22-23,
2010, and June 7-8, 2010. Go to www.dcsdk12.org for more information
on the free two-day workshops.
Teen suicide risk indicators
Sudden change in behavior
Legal troubles
Relationship issue/break-up
History of depression
Recent loss of loved one
Difficult transition
Loss of appetite
