Making Decatur a Suicide-Safer Community

According to a CDC report released in September 2022, annual suicide rates rose four percent in 2022, with the biggest increase among young men ages 15-24. Suicide is preventable, but community members need to know how to identify the warning signs of someone considering suicide. That’s where the ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) Program can be helpful. The program was created by LivingWorks, the world’s leading suicide intervention training company. The ASIST program is used globally: an estimated 2 million people in 30+ countries have been empowered to save lives from suicide. Over the past several years, we have worked with the Decatur Student Center at Decatur High School to bring ASIST to as many community members as possible. With funds from DEF’s behavioral health initiative Joe’s Fund, we have trained 103 teachers, administrators, counselors, clergy, and other community members who can now recognize persons at risk and know the steps to take to keep those persons safe from suicide. If you would like to support our efforts in making Decatur a suicide-safer community, please consider a donation to Joe’s Fund by clicking HERE.