Suicide Awareness Month / Suicide Prevention Resources / Mental Health Event

Did you know that 1 in 5 US adults and 17% of US youth (ages 6-17) experience mental illness, more so since Covid?  

In recognition of this growing problem, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors designated September 2021 as Suicide Awareness Month.  Fairfax County resources for suicide prevention can be found here:   https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/community-services-board/prevent-suicide.

Immanuel Presbyterian, a member of Tysons Interfaith, has also provided these resources:

• If you or someone you love is struggling with thoughts of suicide, please call 1-800-273-8255 or text HOME to 741741. Help is available.
• Life Line for Veterans is a branch of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for veterans. Call: 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1; Text to 838255; or Chat online 24/7/365.
•  You Matter is for youth between the ages of 13 and 24. It is a safe space for sharing and supporting one another. It is monitored by the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
• The Trevor Project is a national organization that provides suicide prevention and crisis intervention for LGBTQ+ people ages 13-24. 
• The Alliance of Hope for Suicide Loss Survivors is a nonprofit organization that seeks to offer support and hope to survivors of suicide loss.
• Compassionate Friends is a national organization that offers support and resources for those who’ve lost a loved one to sudden, violent death.

In solidarity with the effort to raise awareness about mental health and suicide prevention, Tysons Interfaith will host a Zoom session with the  Northern Virginia Chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) on Sunday, September 26 from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm.

Representatives from NAMI will relate personal experiences with mental illness and discuss how to detect mental illness in yourself or family members and how to help those with mental health conditions.  NAMI is the leading national organization on mental health issues.  Please join us for this important and valuable presentation.  The link to sign up is here:  NAMI Ending The Silence

This blog post is the expressed opinion of its writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Tysons Interfaith or its members.