Saving lives
Yellow ribbon program helps prevent suicide in schools
Following multiple teen suicides last year, the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program was implemented in area schools to educate students and staff.
During National Suicide Prevention Week, which ends today, students at Gila Ridge High School who make up the school’s youth Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Committee, shared what they learned from the program. The committee is comprised of students Joey Dressler, Jacob Takesuye, Angelyna Reichman and Kate Campa, as well as a few others.
“I think it’s important that the students know that they are not alone,” Takesuye said. “If they do need help there, all of us and everyone involved in the school, we are all here for them.”
Takesuye added that students learned to alert someone if they believe someone is at risk of suicide, even if that person tells them to keep it a secret.
Data from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) shows that the rate of suicide in the United States has steadily climbed since 2007. As of 2016, teens and young adults aged 15 to 24 had a suicide rate of 13.15 percent. Every year, the AFSP website shows, there are nearly 45,000 deaths by suicide.
In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that suicide is the third leading cause of death for ages 10-24.
The Yellow Ribbon program aims to coordinate appropriate education, training and collaboration with local and national resources to build sustainable suicide prevention programs.
In 2017, Yuma Regional Medical Center formed the local committee chaired by Shelley Mellon, Foundation of YRMC board member and Yuma Union High School District board member. The committee includes Tom Tyree, Lynda Penny, GRHS guidance director Ginny Legros, Rob Takesuye and his wife, Ginny Takesuye.
The committee was formed after GRHS experienced youth deaths by suicide.
“Within a few months, we had three students who died by suicide,” Legros said, noting that education on suicide prevention as well as speaking about the issue is vital.
“The ‘S’ (suicide) word is a scary word,” she said. “But, I think once we are educated on it and we actually talk about it, research shows it decreases people wanting to harm themselves and end their lives. I know growing up in my generation, anytime something like that happened it was always kept ‘hush, hush’ or swept under the rug and that has not worked.”
Legros added that the committee’s aim is to bring more resources to the community for suicide prevention. After becoming educated about suicide prevention measures, the committee then trained all departments on the GRHS campus, as well as other area high schools, to recognize the warning signs and how they should respond to provide help to students.
According to the AFSP, suicide warning signs may include but are not limited to increased use of alcohol or drugs, talking about being a burden to others and withdrawing or feeling isolated.
Dale and Dar Emme founded the Yellow Ribbon program in 1994 and have traveled the country advocating awareness to people of all ages after their son Mike died by suicide. Last year, they visited Yuma to speak at an assembly at GRHS addressing suicide prevention.
As a key part of the program, the committee also hands out yellow cards or yellow slips (yellow in honor of Dale and Dar Emme’s son Mike’s yellow Mustang) with basic information on how to get help. The “Ask 4 Help!” cards serve as a “voice” for youth or others to seek help.
The Yellow Ribbon program website shows that teens who have attempted suicide say they were so overwhelmed at the time of their crisis that they did not know what to say to ask for help. By handing a card to another person, a teen can ask for help and can use the words “I need to use my Yellow Ribbon.”
If someone has expressed thoughts of suicide or one is given the card by someone as way to get help, the yellow cards instruct to stay with that person if safe, to listen to that person and call for professional help immediately.
The cards also provide the Suicide Prevention Lifeline phone number as well as a number to text for help. Legros noted it is important to offer a text option as well as many youth in particular have shown they prefer that method of communication, she said.
Those who are in need of help or who are concerned about another can call 1-800273-TALK (8255) or text ‘Help’ to 741741.