Non-profit promotes suicide prevention among local students

JACKSON, Tenn.–A non-profit group is promoting suicide prevention among elementary school students through art.

It was all for Lifeline’s “Be a Hero–Help Everyone Reach Out” art contest designed to bring suicide prevention and awareness information to children, parents and educators.
Winners were awarded during the program at Lane College.  Students in Carroll, Crockett, Gibson and Madison counties were invited to participate. Those four counties have a historically higher than average youth suicide rate.

“Young children are dying by suicide and we want to make sure that they understand that suicide is not the answer and if they do have issues going on, there are people that care people that want to reach into there lives and help them,” said Phillip Barham, QPR Trainer with Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network.

While suicide ranks as the tenth cause of death among all ages, it is the second leading cause of death among youth aged 10 to 24 years old.