September 9, 2010 New Brochure to Help Families After a Suicide Attempt   Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada- September 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD). It is a day where communities across Canada and throughout the world come together to show their support for suicide prevention efforts and for those whose lives have been affected by suicide.   The Canadian Mental Health Association/PEI Division is marking this day by launching a new brochure designed for family and friends who have experienced the suicide attempt of a loved one.  Entitled, “After a Suicide Attempt…What Next?”, the brochure answers some of the many questions that loved ones have after a suicide attempt and offers helpful information about how to reduce the risk of it happening again.   Research has shown that one of the strongest risk factors for suicide is a previous suicide attempt. Those who have attempted suicide are 40 times more likely to die by suicide than someone who has never made a suicide attempt and they seem to be particularly vulnerable in the weeks and months following an attempt. Providing families and friends with practical information can help to reduce the level of risk and could potentially save a life.   CMHA’s Suicide Prevention Coordinator, Pat Doyle, says, “This brochure will be invaluable to loved ones who are perhaps leaving hospital and going home with someone who has just made a suicide attempt.” She goes on to say, “It is a very unsettling time for families so we hope to give them some direction as to what they can do to support their loved one, how they can reduce the risks at home and where to turn for help, should there be future concern or suicidal crisis.”   John MacMillan, Clinical Therapist with Community Mental Health, provided a clinical review of the brochure’s content. He says, “We need to arm families with the information they need to help keep their loved ones safe. They need to know what warning signs to look for and where to get support for both the person at risk and those who have been impacted by suicide behavior.”   CMHA’s President, John Horrelt, commends the Committee for addressing this particular area of need, saying, “This resource will increase Islanders’ capacity to better cope with the challenges they face and will compliment CMHA’s existing suicide prevention efforts.”   The brochures will be distributed to Island hospitals, Community Mental Health Centres and related support agencies in early September, to coincide with World Suicide Prevention Day. To request additional copies, please contact CMHA’s Suicide Prevention Coordinator at 628-3669 or suicideprevention@cmha.pe.ca. To learn more about WSPD and CMHA’s Suicide Prevention efforts, visit their website, www.cmha.pe.ca