• Talking, reading, or writing about suicide or death
  
• Talking about feeling worthless or helpless
  
• Saying things like, “I’m going to kill myself,”
  
• “I wish I were dead,” or “I shouldn’t have been born”
  
• Visiting or calling people to say goodbye
  
• Giving things away
  
• A sudden interest in drinking alcohol
  
• Purposely putting oneself in danger
  
• Obsessed with death, violence, and guns or knives
  
• Previous suicidal thoughts or suicide attempts

• Depression
  
• Substance abuse
  
• Aggressive behavior
  
  -National Institute for Mental Health,
  In Harms Way, 2003
  

• Frequent sadness, tearfulness, crying
  
• Hopelessness
  
• Decreased interest in activities; or inability to enjoy previously favorite activities
  
• Persistent boredom; low energy
  
• Social isolation, poor communication
  
• Low self esteem and guilt
  
• Extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure
  
• Increased irritability, anger, or hostility
  
• Difficulty with relationships
  
• Frequent complaints of physical illnesses such as headaches and stomachaches
  
• Frequent absences from school or poor performance in school
  
• Poor concentration
  
• A major change in eating and/or sleeping patterns
  
• Talk of or efforts to run away from home
  
• Thoughts or expressions of suicide or self-destructive behavior
  
  -AACAP, The Depressed Child
  

• Youth Emergency Services at 609-396-HELP or 609-989-7297
  
  
• CONTACT-Suicide Hotline 1-800-SUICIDE or 609-585-2244
  
  
• Local Police call 911

• TLC provides educational training workshops and conferences
  to equip professionals with the knowledge necessary to respond
  appropriately to crisis events and to minimize personal trauma and
  the threat of suicidal contagion among youth.

• TLC distributes a diverse assortment of suicide prevention and
  risk-assessment literature and facilitates six presentations on issues
   related to traumatic loss.
           
  • Managing Sudden Traumatic Loss in the School
        
  • Suicide Prevention and Awareness
          
  • Coping Skills / Resiliency
          
  • Children and Grief
         
  • Self-Injury / Cutting
         
  • Positive Parenting for Teenagers
    
• TLC holds monthly coalition meetings to maintain community
  cohesion and sustain issue awareness, track traumatic events
  within Mercer County and respond to diverse community needs
  affecting youth.
  
• TLC assists schools in preparing their emergency crisis plan
  using the Managing Sudden Traumatic Loss in the Schools Manual.

LaVerne Ombadykow, Program Coordiantro at the United Way of Greater Mercer County

Phone: 609-637-4908