This week is National Suicide Prevention Week. A conference is being held in Dawson County Thursday to bring awareness to the issue of suicide.
Alarming statistics reveal that Dawson County has led the state in the last 10 years for death by suicide. In fact, Dawson County ranked in the top 20 counties in the entire nation for severe depression. That is according to the latest Mental Health America Report.
In order to combat these issues, the public is invited to attend a conference on suicide prevention. It will be held in partnership with The Georgia Mental Health Policy Partnership. The conference will focus on early intervention and prevention in combating suicide.
According to a press release issued about the event, it states that every seven hours one person dies by suicide in Georgia.
“The only way that we can help prevent this tragedy is by investing in early intervention and prevention in our rural and urban communities,” the group said in the statement. “The coalition will be calling on Georgia’s General Assembly and county governments for increased investment in education, and early intervention and prevention programs surrounding mental health as a way to destigmatize and promote good mental health and wellness.”
This is a free conference that is open to the public. It will be held Thursday, September 9 at 2:30 p.m. at the Dawson County Professional Development Center.
