Local agencies respond to rash of suicides

By ERIC LINDBERG — Feb. 19, 2010

Responding to a rash of suicides in Santa Barbara County last year, a consortium of local officials and community members are participating in a three-day training session on psychological first-aid and methods to help those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

The number of people who committed suicide nearly doubled last year compared to 2008, from 34 to 60 incidents, Sheriff Bill Brown said. The session taking place through Saturday at Victoria Hall Theater is aimed at creating a trauma response team trained in intervention and coping skills.

“I certainly applaud the community for coming together for this type of training, and hopefully we will have more people out there to help residents who are in crisis and are considering suicide,” Brown said. “We need to get the message to them that no matter what their problems are, suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.”

While a handful of suicides have been directly linked to economic issues, the sheriff said the recession is far from being a common thread in all 60 deaths.

“It’s pretty apparent there are a lot of depression issues associated with a lot of the incidents,” he said.

Dr. Lisa Firestone, director of research and education at the Glendon Association, said officials are still gathering data about last year’s string of suicides, but added that suicide is a growing problem among youth and the homeless.

She said the training session is part of a comprehensive strategy to address the issue, and noted that local agencies have already held school district trainings and ongoing workshops with community and faith-based organizations.

“It’s absolutely about communicating to our community that we care,” Dr. Firestone said. “We want to lock arms as a community and say, we are not going to let this happen.”

Dr. Robert Macy, an international expert on community-based trauma treatment and prevention, is leading the training session, which involves 145 people from more than 40 local agencies and organizations.

Having recently returned to the United States after offering trauma training in earthquake-torn Haiti, Dr. Macy said he plans to build a local network of skilled professionals who will be able to respond with both evidence-based solutions and heartfelt intuition when working with those contemplating self-harm.

“How do we make sure we know what’s important to those 24,000 lives?” he said, referring to a rough estimate of the number of youth in Santa Barbara County. “That’s how we become a part of them and don’t have to practice life-saving techniques.”

The three-day session will feature basic psychological first-aid and PTSD techniques packed into group activities and drills, Dr. Macy said, including simulations of a disaster shelter and a church funeral.

Dr. Edwin Feliciano, the county’s medical director of alcohol, drug and mental health services, said a stakeholder group gathered in November of last year to address the spate of suicides.

“There was consensus that immediate short-term and long-term strategies needed to be implemented to prevent further loss of life,” he said.

The training session will pack five to six days of information into three daylong courses, which will focus on a handful of intervention methods. In addition to providing skills to deal with traumatic situations, Dr. Macy said he plans to focus on the health of those being trained to ensure they don’t become affected by constant exposure to stressful and painful experiences.

The theater space, along with parking, food and water, has been donated for the three-day session, while private funding from the Santa Barbara Foundation and the James S. Bower Foundation enabled Dr. Macy to lead the course.

Organizers are hopeful that the community-based trauma response network, coupled with other efforts, will be successful in bringing down the suicide rate.

“It’s actually empowering and enabling the community to address this problem first-hand,” Dr. Feliciano said.

Comment on this article

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: 2/19/2010

When a homeless man was knocking on doors asking for help and then committed suicide in front of the train a few months ago, most of the posters were writing comments like "Get these scum out of town. Get 'em a one-way ticket, I'll pay for the ticket!" Now, when an article is about people needing help without mentioning specific life circumstances, all is quiet. Maybe that means everyone who rants about "My Santa Barbara! Only people like ME deserve to live here!" have recently become a little humble about their existence, perhaps for the first time in their lives. Better late than never. Mental illness, including depression, are biologically based, not a choice. Compassion for your fellow human beings, please.

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Suicide symposium : 2/20/2010

So where would a reader go to find out more info on these training sessions? There's absolutely not follow-up info, no phone number provided!

ASW

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lots of other suicides too : 2/20/2010

what about the almost doubling of suicides for every demographic, even beyond the number of teens? or do they not count?

selective concern

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: 2/20/2010

The Santa Barbara Foundation might know, since they provided funding for the event.

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More than 60 : 2/20/2010

Alot more than 60. Maybe people who committ suicide suffering from depression are considered "Natural Causes"? Like Homeless people that die on the streets. How many suicides have we had so far this year? I hear one attempt after another one the police scanner. What are you going to do for someone suffering from depression who has lost everything and everybody? How can you convince someone their life is worth living when you have no knowledge of their life?

William Reece

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When is it? : 2/21/2010

I can't believe there is such a long detailed article without even providing a date or information on how to sign up. C'mon Eric, get with it.

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When : 2/22/2010

Did you guys read the story? Third sentence starts with: "The session taking place through Saturday at Victoria Hall Theater..."
Maybe there is no date or contact info because the session already started and you weren't invited...

Captain Obvious

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