KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – September is suicide prevention month, and you will be able to do something about it this weekend.
It is one of the causes of death that is rising, some 37% for the first two decades of this century, and is now on the rise again according to national statistics.
Frank Lewis at Gryphon Place manages suicide prevention operators and helps train others to spot the signs that someone may be thinking about it.
He says they provide the GateKeepers School Prevention program that trains students to spot the signs among their friends and classmates.
This Saturday, Gryphon Place will be sponsoring a suicide march downtown. It’s a fundraiser for their programs.
The march will kick off at 10 a.m. in Bronson Park.
Those over 85 have the highest suicide rate, higher only than those 75 to 84. They have the highest rate, but younger age groups often have more suicide deaths, and the CDC says for those between 10 and 34, it’s the 2nd highest cause of death.
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