By Ernest Hooper, Metro Columnist
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
The Hillsborough County medical examiner handled a record 199 suicides in 2009.
Suicides in Pinellas and Pasco counties, 194 and 89 respectively, also reached all-time highs last year.
The numbers are even more alarming when you consider that only 141 people died in traffic accidents in Hillsborough County in 2009, according to Finn Kavanagh, vice president of Crisis Center Tampa Bay.
Yes, more people lost their lives to suicide than to auto crashes.
On a certain level, you could argue that both kinds of deaths are preventable. But look at all we do to promote auto safety: seat belts, air bags, speed limits, enforcement and technology all aim to mitigate injuries and prevent deaths.
What are we doing to prevent suicides?
Not enough, according to Kavanagh.
"If you look at it just from the Hillsborough County perspective, there's no comprehensive group that meets to discuss this, to work on it and come up with ideas," Kavanagh said Tuesday. "Mental health services, drug treatment, police — everybody does their part, but there's no strategy in place."
Kavanagh is working to create a task force to form strategies. He argues that the research is in place to design a comprehensive approach, especially for groups most at risk. Statistics show that men account for three-fourths of suicides, veterans face challenges trying to reintegrate into society and alcohol abusers are five times more likely to commit suicide.
"So we can start to get an idea of who's at great risk and really start to focus on helping them," Kavanagh said. "The science says if you have someone at great risk and you intervene and have an honest conversation, you have a chance of preventing the suicide.
"When you look at articles from survivors, they describe the experience near the end, and they just couldn't see alternatives. They're under enormous stress, enormous pain and they do not see options. A reasonable person can help them find those options, but I think right now, (the community) doesn't get a very good grade for effort."
The Crisis Center fields more than 100,000 calls a year from people seeking help, and about 5,000 come from people who are clearly at risk for suicide. The trained professionals on the other end of the line help them find those alternatives. If they can't, the counselor constructs an intervention with law enforcement.
Law enforcement can take people into custody under the Baker Act, but many times they're released after a 72-hour evaluation period.
The support system isn't always in place to give extended help, meaning that those without insurance or money have to wait for services, Kavanagh said.
"You tend to end up with a revolving-door phenomenon," he added.
This is an area Kavanagh's task force may be able to address, and he's right to rally providers to create a united effort. We can do better. We have to do better.
If you're interested in the task force, e-mail Kavanagh at fkavanagh@crisiscenter.com.
And if you or someone you know gets engulfed by crisis and can't see solutions, call 1-800-273-TALK.
They're not weak. They're not just seeking attention, but they do deserve our help.
That's all I'm saying.