Free Suicide Prevention Training Offered to Yorkville Parents, Staff

YORKVILLE, IL — Join District 115 and its partner in suicide prevention, Elyssa's Mission, for an informative and important training on suicide prevention. This training is targeted toward district employees and parents of Y115 students.

Recognizing When Your Teen Needs Help: ACTing to Prevent Suicide

Suicide is difficult to even talk about, let alone imagine impacting your family or someone you know. However, the fact is that suicide is the second leading cause of death for young people ages 10-34 years old. For the first time ever, middle school students ages 10-14 years old are dying more by suicide than automobile accidents. The suicide rates for girls in this age range have tripled since 1999. When faced with such alarming statistics, it becomes apparent that we must be able to identify the signs of suicide in an effort to ensure we keep our children safe.

This presentation will cover important risk factors and warning signs for suicide as well as how parents can talk to their children about this often difficult topic and where to find help when needed. Presenter Katie Baker, LCPC, is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and director at Elyssa’s Mission®. She has extensive experience in suicide prevention education.

Elyssa’s Mission provides resources to help prevent teen suicide. The community-based organization was founded in 2006 in honor of Elyssa, a bright, gifted and outgoing Chicagoland girl who bravely battled post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. Elyssa’s Mission provides hands-on support to area public and private schools and community organizations in order to educate students, staff and parents on how to recognize and assist those teens most at-risk. Elyssa’s Mission fully funds and implements the evidence-based SOS Signs of Suicide® Prevention Program in over 100 middle and high schools in Illinois. Learn more about our work at risk. http://elyssasmission.org/

RSVPs for this presentation are requested to Sarah Gorges at [email protected] so an appropriate number of handouts can be made available. The free presentation will be held at 7 p.m. Jan. 26 at the Yorkville Middle School Auditorium at 920 Prairie Crossing Drive.