MEDIA ADVISORY – The College of Western Idaho (CWI) Sociology Club is hoping to put a spotlight on suicide awareness and prevention this month with a pair of events aimed at suicide awareness and prevention.
April 21 (Saturday) 5:00-7:00 p.m. The Sociology Club will host a presentation on the issue titled - Suicide: It’s a Social Problem Awareness. The presentation will include a personal survivor story and a Question-Persuade-Refer training provided by Cynthia Mauzerall, Region 3 Chair of the Suicide Prevention Action Network (SPAN) of Idaho.
April 25 (Wednesday) 4:00-5:30 p.m. The club will complete the suicide awareness and prevention campaign with Shatter the Silence: Be a Voice of H-E-L-P event. The event will feature information tables regarding mental health, suicide awareness, Suicide Prevention Action Network (SPAN), Question-Persuade-Refer training sign up, and sign-ups for creating an Active Minds CWI Chapter. The activities will culminate with the club photographing and videoing a human HELP sign on the campus lawn.
According to most recent reporting, Idaho has one of the highest suicide rates in the nation at nearly 67% higher than the national average. “Understanding early suicide warning signs and engaging in an appropriate way to refer for help is a forward step in preventing suicide,” notes Patricia Beyer, CWI Sociology Club President. “Our goal is to fill CWI’s lawn with the largest human help sign and put it on the web to show those that have been affected that we care. These acts of kindness have proven that a social connection can change and save lives.”
Event activities are open to the public. For more information on the events and how to participate please contact sociologyclubcwi@gmail.com.
Media is invited to attend the activities and interviews will be available with CWI Sociology Club members, representatives from SPAN, and the presenting survivor.
Jennifer Couch
(208) 562-3508 (office)
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About the College of Western Idaho:
The College of Western Idaho is a public, open-access, and comprehensive community college committed to providing affordable access to quality teaching and learning opportunities to the residents of its service area in western Idaho. CWI has seven campus locations throughout Southwest Idaho providing higher education and 21st Century technical skills acquisition. The college is dedicated to improving the community’s economic well-being by responding with highly-educated and productive graduates. The foundation for the area’s only community college was created by a supermajority of voters in Ada and Canyon counties on May 22, 2007. For more information about the college, visit cwi.edu or call (208) 562-3000.
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