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54 °F Forecast | Road Cams Monday, April 18, 2005 Today's News | Shop Our Valley | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery | Contact Us SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Health Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley SHOP OUR VALLEY AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Classified Place an ad TOP JOBS EXTRA Ashland News NIE Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Moving here? eSouthernOregon CUSTOMER SERVICE FAQ's Advertise with us Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend April 18, 2005 Suicide-prevention coalition reaches out New organization aims to inform the public about potential warning signs and help those at risk By BILL KETTLER Mail Tribune A well-known Ashland activist’s suicide has spurred a group of Jackson County residents to try to find ways to help others avoid that end. Joanie McGowan’s death in January prompted counselors, educators and concerned citizens to form the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Jackson County. "We needed to do something," said Susan Roudebush, a career counselor who helped organize the coalition. "That’s what Joanie would have done." McGowan, 48, suffered from a bipolar disorder. She died from the combined effects of an overdose of a powerful antidepressant and hypothermia. Advertisement In its first three meetings, the group has explored ways to get help for people who are contemplating suicide; developed educational materials that will help friends and family members identify suicide-prone individuals; and discussed the need for a residential treatment center for chronic depression. Roudebush said McGowan told at least one friend that the hardest thing about dealing with her mental illness was "not having a place where she could go" for help. Jackson County had 42 suicide deaths in 2002, the most recent year for which data has been published by the Department of Human Services. Only four Oregon counties — Clackamas, Lane, Multnomah and Washington — had more suicide deaths. Suicide is the second-leading cause of death in Oregon for youth between the ages of 10 and 24, according to DHS data. Elderly men are also especially prone to suicide. Cutbacks in state and federal spending have curtailed programs for mental-health counseling in recent years. "It’s difficult for people to find help when they’re in a suicidal state of mind," said Richard Kumro of Ashland, a former counselor who has attended the group’s organizational meetings. After an initial meeting that drew 44 people, the group has settled at an active core of about 18. Roudebush said they have developed educational public-service announcements for television and radio stations, and will produce stickers with suicide-help telephone numbers to put into newly printed telephone books. Roudebush said it’s important for people to know that help is available by telephone at two local sources: Jackson County mental health, at 774-8201, during working hours; and the local HELP line, 779-4357, at other hours. The coalition is also discussing how it might use federal grant money that’s now available for suicide prevention. In 2004, Congress approved $82 million over three years for youth suicide prevention programs. The act was introduced by Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore) after his son, Garrett Lee Smith, took his own life in 2003. The bill will emphasize early screening programs that identify mental illness in children as young as sixth grade and provide referrals for community-based treatment and training for child care professionals. Roudebush noted that a number of behavioral signs have been associated with suicidal tendencies. The signs include: depression, irritability, loss of interest in activities, significant changes in appetite or weight; and feelings of worthlessness, sleeping problems, and fatigue. The coalition will meet again at 7 p.m. April 25 at the Ashland Library. Anyone who is interested in helping to prevent suicide is welcome. Reach reporter Bill Kettler at 776-4492, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback Free Music Downloads Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers home equity loans helzberg Distance Education Diamonds Online Poker Slippers Student Loans tcg student loan consolidation teleconferencing Memory Foam Mattress w2 forms Tatoo Tatoos Advertisement s