West Orange (stop) Suicide Advocacy Coalition

We Can All
Prevent Suicide.

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the West Orange Suicide Advocacy Coalition (WOSAC) is to gather and streamline public education, supportive services, training, and intervention resources related to suicides in the Township of West Orange.

Our work acknowledges that suicide is a public health issue.

Suicide does not have one single cause. Multiple factors, alone or in combination, including but not limited to substance abuse and untreated depression can increase the risk of suicide.

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S.

(Centers for Disease Control, 2018).

In taking a public health approach, we recognize that various structures as well as a lack of access to these structures, influence our health and well-being including:

Schools and employment
Families
Interpersonal relationships
How the three branches of government, legislative (laws), executive (police and corrections) and judicial (court imposed sanctions) impact each of us differently
Spirituality and faith based institutions
Recreational opportunities
Internal conflicts between township cultures, race, ethnic and religious cultures

Additionally, research evidence finds that several bio-social health factors may also increase risk of self-inflicted harm and early life termination:

Physical health
Low serotonin
Mental health
Depression elevates suicide risk, but researchers argue that it is not the cause
Self-efficacy- control over one’s life
Self-esteem- perception of one’s self

WOHS Class of 2019

Candice Williams

Suicide Affects The Whole Family.
As shared by Tammy Williams, Founder of WOSAC
My 18 year old sister committed suicide as a Freshman at UNC-Charlotte in 1995.

She was an outgoing , smart, energetic and loving young lady. She was Miss Carver High School, co-captain of the Varsity Cheerleading squad, Senior class Secretary, member of the Spanish Club, member of the Youth and Young adult choir and usher board member at our home church. She was outgoing, smart, energetic, and a loving human being.

The world was hers to conquer. In a moment of tremendous despair around the same week that my Mother had died five years prior, she took her life.

She called me to say, “I just want you to know I will always love you”. By the tone of her voice, I knew something was very wrong. I tried to keep her talking on the phone but she insisted she would be okay.

The next phone call was from a school administrator saying she had jumped from a ninth-floor window and was being airlifted to the hospital. The worst phone call anyone can ever receive. She did not survive the impact of the fall. No physical damage but internal trauma caused her to die.

I promised then to help others who are in pain and need help. 2019, the dream is a reality. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US. More people die from suicide than car accidents.

Let’s spread awareness, increase prevention and erase the stigma. Let’s TALK about it! We can all support an end to this epidemic.

National Statistics

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US for all ages (Centers for Disease Control, 2017).
Every day, approximately 123 Americans die by suicide (Centers for Disease Control, 2017).
There is one death by suicide in the US every 12 minutes (Centers for Disease Control, 2017).
Depression affects 20-25% of Americans ages 18+ in a given year (Centers for Disease Control, 2017).
Suicide takes the lives of over 44,965 Americans every year (Centers for Disease Control, 2017).
The highest suicide rates in the US are among Whites, American Indians and Alaska Natives (Centers for Disease Control, 2017).
An estimated quarter million people each year become suicide survivors (American Association of Suicidology, 2018).
There is one suicide for every estimated 25 suicide attempts (Centers for Disease Control, 2017).
There is one suicide for every estimated 4 suicide attempts in the elderly (Centers for Disease Control, 2017).
Based on the 2017 Youth Risk Behaviors Survey, 7.4 % of youth in grades 9-12 reported that they had made at least one suicide attempt in the past 12 months.
Female students attempted almost twice as often as male students (9.3% vs. 5.1%). Black students reported the highest rate of attempt (9.8%) with white students at 6.1 %.
Approximately 2.4 % of all students reported making a suicide attempt that required treatment by a doctor or nurse. For those requiring treatment, rates were highest for Black students (3.4%). (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention).

WOSAC Goals Are:

Create materials (i.e., brochures) that aid schools, families, and police officers who respond to suicide calls and attempts.
Increase access to resources (more support groups and information shared in the community).
Support more public conversation (about risks and related suicide information).
Increase support group attendance.
Reduce suicide rate in and around West Orange (the current rate does not increase).