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The committee is spearheaded by Community Mental Health and aims to increase awareness across the county. A kick off luncheon was held recently to generate support for the cause. Approximately 15 community members were in attendance.

Suicide is a growing problem in Sanilac County, statewide, and around the nation.

In the United States, there were 31,655 suicides in 2002, more than one and a half times the number of homicides.

According to the Sanilac County medical examiner, there is an average of six suicide deaths in the county each year. There were seven suicides countywide in 2004 and six in 2005.

For every suicide death, there are an estimated 25 attempts.

“It is a very big problem; it is a very serious problem,” Committee Chair Brian McHugh said. “I think everyone would agree with me that even one suicide is too many.”

In 2005, the Michigan Surgeon General presented a statewide suicide prevention plan. Governor Jennifer Granholm has since urged communities to develop their own comprehensive strategies.

The 14-member county committee was formed in November and includes social workers, clergy, law enforcement, health department employees, a county commissioner, and mental health staff.

The group is working to develop a pilot plan for increasing prevention among all age groups, including senior citizens who have the highest suicide rate per capita.

A school based initiative- the Yellow Ribbon Program- has already been established. Barb Smith, a member of the Saginaw Chapter of Yellow Ribbon has visited several area schools this year to discuss suicide prevention and distribute yellow ribbon cards with suicide hotline numbers.

The Sanilac County Kids’ Connection would like to expand the program, training a local person to conduct the presentation and securing survivors of suicide to speak with students. They recently received a $1900 grant from the Sanilac County Community Foundation for the project.

The Kids’ Connection has also established a fund in the name of a county teenager that committed suicide last year. Money raised will be used to support the Yellow Ribbon Program and launch suicide survivor support groups.

The committee has drafted a number of other ideas for educating the public and reducing the stigma attached to suicide.

The ideas include: providing training to professionals regarding best practices; implementing an awareness campaign highlighting the relationship between mental illness, substance abuse and suicide; and starting a campaign to educate the community about the risk associated with firearms in the home.

Other possibilities include providing support to families of suicide victims and training law enforcement officials and first responders to communicate with suicide survivors in a sensitive manner.

“A lot of people are afraid to talk about suicide,” McHugh said. “People think that those who commit suicide are isolated, but that’s exactly what they need is for someone to break through that isolation.”

He added, “It is okay to talk about. In fact, it is necessary to talk about.”

Donations for the Suicide Prevention and Support Memorial Fund can be directed to the Sanilac County Kids Connection, P.O Box 31, Sandusky, MI, 48471.

For more information on the committee contact Brian McHugh at 810-648-0330.