Keeping Suicide Prevention Top of Mind All Year Round

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among today’s youth; therefore, we must continue to expand awareness and encourage individuals to take action. Awareness is the first step to prevention, and we all can play a role in supporting one another, preventing suicide and removing the stigma surrounding mental health.     Lisa Desai, Psy.D., director of behavioral health consulting, and Lea Karnath, senior program manager, at MindWise Innovations join Netsmart Director Keith Boushee to discuss how their organization is taking action to respond to their community’s mental health needs.     Discussions with Lisa and Lea included:     - The national rise in suicide rates for both youth and adults     - How COVID-19 may be impacting suicide rates     - MindWise's evidence-based SOS (Signs of Suicide) program for students     - How the SOS program is currently leveraging technology to virtually expand awareness amid the pandemic     - Confronting stigma surrounding suicide     - How everyone can play a role in suicide prevention     If you want to hear more episodes like this one, look for the Netsmart CareThreads podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher.