Suicide Intervention Workshop to be Held at Unity Centre for the Performing Arts on February 2

Unity, Maine – January, 2008 –  A one day program on suicide prevention will be offered at Unity Centre for the Performing Arts on February 2 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  The program is sponsored by Unity College and the Maine Youth Suicide Prevention Program, an initiative led by the Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention.

The registration deadline is January 28 and the cost is $10 per person, which includes a continental breakfast and lunch.  To register contact Liz Cleverly at (207) 948-3131, ext. 307, or e-mail lcleverly@unity.edu, or call Joanne DeCampos at (207) 622-7566, ext. 202.

The event is free for Unity College students, faculty and staff.

"This is a program that is appropriate for teachers, parents and others who are interested in identifying people who are at risk for suicide,” said Liz Cleverly, Counseling Intern at the Unity College health center.  “Every two days someone in Maine dies by suicide.  Every two and a half weeks that person is a young person.  This one day seminar will give anyone who is concerned about suicide prevention the basic tools for suicide prevention and intervention.”

The one day program provides both a comprehensive overview of suicide and catalog of skills to identify warning signs and ways to appropriately respond to those in crisis.

“Often, suicide is preventable,” noted Cleverly.  “Perhaps as many as 50% of youth suicides can be prevented if we all work together to do so.”

Suicide risk factors particular to Maine include the isolation inherent living in a rural state, and easy access to firearms.

The Unity Centre for the Performing Arts is located at 42 Depot Street (off Route 202) in Unity, Maine.

Unity College is a small private college in rural Maine that provides dedicated, engaged students with a liberal arts education which emphasizes the environment and natural resources.  Unity College graduates are prepared to be environmental stewards, effective leaders, and responsible citizens through active learning experiences within a supportive community.