September is National Suicide Prevention Month and Newtown officials and volunteers are in the planning stages of an ongoing initiative to raise awareness and inform our community of suicide prevention resources available. National Suicide Prevention Month is a time when individuals, survivors, local citizen organizations, mental health advocates, and government agencies across the country increase their collective efforts to reduce suicide.

According to Selectman Maureen Crick Owen, who is helping organize the local effort, “The town’s goal is to ensure that our residents of all ages have access to the resources they need to lead productive healthy lives. This is especially important during this pandemic.”

Crick Owen was quick to relate a number of sobering facts that hit close to home. Just this year in Connecticut alone, on average, one person died by suicide every 21 hours, and suicide remains the second leading cause of death for ages 10-34.

Additionally, she said, more than three times as many people died by suicide in Connecticut in 2018 than in alcohol-related motor vehicle accidents.

For Crick Owen and fellow volunteer Anna Wiedemann, suicide prevention is a very personal mission.

“I held my nephew, Matthew James Crick, when he was only six hours old,” Crick Owen recalled. “That was the start of our very special relationship for 19 years. Matt was a great kid — he was smart, handsome, funny, curious, and just a great human being. He died by suicide on February 27, 2007.”

“I realize September is Suicide Prevention month, but honestly, it’s a year round struggle for some,” Wiedemann said. “Last year we lost a community member who studied the brain,” she said, referring to Dr Jeremy Richman whose daughter, Avielle, was one of 26 people killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012. “Our community mourned and became aware, and that’s when my concern grew. We need to keep learning, sharing, and reaching out.”

First-Hand Experience

Crick Owen reflected that losing a loved one to suicide is just horrible.

“Families struggle with why this happened while going through the grieving process,” she said, having experienced it firsthand. “Matt was hurting too much to understand the pain his death would cause his family and friends.”

But the selectman and lifelong community member said she believes that silver linings can come from hardships and losses related to suicide.

“The town’s initiative on suicide prevention is a silver lining for me,” Crick Owen said. “Our team wants to help our community by providing education and resources. Suicide is a topic people do not like to talk about and there is a stigma attached to it. I am hopeful that this initiative will start the dialogue, help people and reduce the stigma.”

Wiedemann agreed.

“The stigma surrounding suicide absolutely needs to be removed,” she said.

‘Okay To Not Be Okay’

As a member and current chair for the community’s Commission on Aging (COA), Wiedemann’s current concern is “now, with the pandemic, social isolation is taking its toll.”

“After watching the Senior Center grow and thrive, having it become an inclusive, caring place where lots of people were coming on a daily basis to take classes or just socialize, [I believe] seniors like many others, are away from loved ones and friends who can’t travel,” she said.

In an attempt to remedy the isolation, Wiedemann said she calls a number of folks weekly to check in.

“There is a serious change in attitude these many months later, so my concern has heightened,” she said. “I’m hoping that with the addition of Zoom, we can offer multiple informational topics geared towards senior citizens, youth, parents, teachers, clergy, and community. I believe offering this virtually allows for anyone to feel comfortable logging on to listen. Our goal is to save as many lives as possible.”

Crick Owen said Newtown’s Department of Human Services (DHS) is also available to provide assistance.

“Its mission is to support a high quality of life for the Newtown community through services, programs, and information that promote mental, physical and social well-being,” she said. “DHS is an initial point of access for personalized assistance to identify resources that meet your specific needs, access to a comprehensive referral system, care navigation, and assistance with applications for local, state, and federal social service programs.”

The DHS can be reached at 203-270-4330.

'Talk Saves Lives'

At the latest meeting of organizers earlier this week, Crick Owen said participants clarified that Newtown will move forward partnering with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) to provide information on suicide prevention. Their website is afsp.org.

In addition, the group is planning to host an AFSP presentation, “Talk Saves Lives,” to the community at least twice before the end of the year.

“‘Talk Saves Lives’ is a community-based presentation that is an introduction to suicide prevention that covers the general scope of suicide, the research on prevention, and what people can do to fight suicide,” Crick Owen said. “We will also do presentations in 2021.”

For emergencies, residents are asked to call 911, and for added support, call the Trevor Lifeline toll-free at 866-488-7386 — this service is provided by The Trevor Project (thetrevorproject.org).

“And if you are in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255. Or contact the crisis text line by texting TALK to 741741,” Crick Owen implored. “During these unprecedented times — and, in fact, any time — it is okay to not be okay. There is help and we want to inform you of those resources.”

Newtown residents can look for further announcements about the local suicide awareness and prevention initiative in The Newtown Bee and its social network sites, as well as on the municipal website newtown-ct.gov.