Feb. 22, 2018 -- Nearly 100 participants representing local colleges, school districts, mental health providers, first responders and law enforcement attended a panel discussion at Westchester Community College, hosted by the Westchester County Department of Community Mental Health, called Risk of Suicide & the Influence of Social Media: What Do We Know and What Don’t We Know? How Do We Use What We Know to Recognize and Address Risk? The program highlighted how the signs and symptoms of suicide can play out on social media.
According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States. There has been more than an 11 percent increase in completed suicides for people ages 15-24, from 2013-2016. The half-day forum included a presentation by keynote speaker Dr. Christine Moutier, Chief Medical Officer of AFSP. Moutier’s demonstration focused on the risk factors of suicide, the influence of social media and how service providers can best address the problem.
“The role of social media and its potential influence on suicide-related behavior is a relatively new and evolving phenomenon that society is only beginning to assess and understand,” said Westchester County Department of Community Mental Health Commissioner Michael Orth. “As Dr. Moutier highlighted in her presentation, the emerging data regarding the influence of social media on suicide behavior has suggested that these forms of technology may introduce new threats to the public, as well as new opportunities for assistance and prevention. It is important that service providers, educators and advocates understand the role of social media in suicide prevention efforts.”
“The Westchester Suicide Prevention and Awareness Task Force gathered to discuss informed ways to incorporate the current research findings and best practices into advising for students, educators and parents when it comes to the impact of social media use on mental health,” said Moutier. “This task force is impressive with experienced and engaged stakeholders from multiple college campuses and school districts, who have an important dialog about ways to save the lives of youth.”
For additional information on Westchester County’s Suicide Prevention and Awareness Task Force, Contact Michael Orth, Commissioner of Westchester County Department of Community Mental Health at .