Dear Peter,

You my want to contact Lynn Chiarelli, Satellite Coordinator for
Youth Net/Reseau Ado (YN/RA) in Ottawa.  YN/RA is a community-based
mental health promotion/early suicide intervention program that is
designed "for youth by youth". Although the "head program" is located in
the Ottawa-Carlton Region, I know that they have set up several
Satellite programs across Ontario and other regions in Canada.  If
anything, she may be able to direct you to resources that are more
accessible to you for your area concerning these issues.  You can find
out more about their programs from their website:

www.youthnet.on.ca

To locate Lynn Chiarelli's contact numbers, look under the link to the
"Satellites" page.

Best of luck,

Adrienne Chin, MHSc Candidate
Health Promotion, Community Health, Public Health Sciences,
Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto

"Peter Jones, CMHA Peterborough" wrote:
>
> Greetings everyone.
>
> Sadly, the area that I live in has been experiencing a number of suicides
> over the past few months. When I moved to the area just over 5 years ago, we
> initiated a program with Health Canada that provided education and resources
> to the local communities. We started a local Suicide Awareness Committee and
> trained a number of community members on Suicide Intervention. We also set
> up a local phone line that connected to the Telecare in nearest larger
> community so that it was no longer a long-distance call.
>
> It appears as though the effectiveness of this program, which finished
> around 3 years ago, is diminished now. We had seen a decrease in suicides up
> until this past 6 months and the issues that were present a few years ago
> are staring to surface again.
>
> Our goal is now to re-establish this program. There is currently a large
> number of youth interested in taking a suicide education program. At the
> last funeral of an 18 year old male in a local small community (population
> of 150), over 700 youth attended the visitation and funeral - many did not
> want to leave after the visitation. Our plans are to hold a follow-up
> session with these youth to address their concerns re suicide and to make
> sure that they are directed to appropriate community resources as required.
>
> I am writing this because I know that there are a number of individuals on
> this list connected with various agencies and government programs and would
> appreciate any direction to potential resources/assistance for this issue in
> our area.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Peter Jones, Chair
> North Victoria Healthy Communities Coalition
> Box 322
> Coboconk ON  K0M 1K0
> (705) 454-8875
> (705) 454-9197 Fax
> [log in to unmask]