December 21, 2006
DPHHS Awards 12 Community Grants
for Youth Suicide Prevention
The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) is awarding grants to a dozen communities across the state to support efforts to prevent youth suicide.
The money is part of a $400,000 Garrett Lee Smith Act grant that the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) awarded to the state in 2005.
“Suicide is the second leading cause of preventable death among youth and young adults in Montana after accidents,” according to Deborah Henderson, head of the Child, Adolescent and Community Health Section of DPHHS. “It comes without argument that Montanans are tremendously dedicated to reducing the suicide rate of our young people.”
Henderson noted that 132 Montanans ages 10 to 24 took their own lives between 1999 and 2003, the latest year for which statistics are available from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The department awarded the grants following a competitive process based on proposals submitted by local agencies. The 12 agencies that will receive the money are:
- Flathead City-County Health Department, Kalispell
- Lewis and Clark City-County Health Department, Helena
- Missoula City-County Health Department
- University of Montana on behalf of both Fort Peck and Rocky Boy’s Reservations
- Yellowstone City-County Health Department, Billings
- Cascade City-County Health Department, Great Falls
- District II Alcohol and Drug Program, Sidney
- Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Ronan
- Voices of Hope, Great Falls
- Indian Development and Education Alliance, Miles City
- Western Montana Mental Health Center, Ravalli County
The communities intend to use their grants in a number of ways, including efforts to:
- Raise awareness of youth suicide;
- Reduce the stigma of mental illness and asking for help;
- Implement screening programs to identify people who might be considering suicide so they can be referred for help; and
- Developing suicide prevention coalitions made up of local youth and young adults.
