MEO Supports Suicide Prevention Month

MEO News Release 

Maui Economic Opportunity (MEO)’s Youth Services team participated in a ceremony Thursday marking September as Suicide Prevention Month in Maui County.

Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen read the proclamation. The event was organized by E Ola Hou Prevent Suicide Maui County Task Force and Mental Health America of Hawaii Maui County Branch, led by Danielle Bergan.

In his short talk, MEO Youth Services Director Dane Ka‘ae noted how suicide was a hush hush topic when he was growing up, but today “I can say the word ‘suicide.’ ” Ka’ae also noticed openness among youth on the topic of suicide.

MEO Youth Services staff will visit Maui and Molokai schools with a suicide prevention curriculum that encourages that openness and teaches youth about the possible signs of suicide. Through peer awareness, sign waving and other public activities, MEO Youth Services works to remove the stigma and the silence regarding suicide.

Representing MEO Youth Services at the proclamation reading was Dane, Kristin Wells, Jaynina Gomes and Aaron Guerrero.

MEO Youth Services on Maui and Molokai held suicide prevention sign waving from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10, in front of the Queen Ka‘ahumanu Center in Kahului and the Molokai Public Library. Youth Services staff also will be offering its suicide prevention curriculum in schools and in its afterschool program.

Prior to reading the proclamation, the mayor reiterated what other speakers noted – that measuring suicide prevention is difficult because that requires quantifying an event that does not happen. But the community can control the effort and monitor the work put into prevention.

Mayor Bissen also said that social media, or “unsocial media,” is the number one threat to mental health. Users are able to reinvent themselves and can turn the platform into a weapon.

Other activities marking Suicide Prevention Month for Molokai include the Out-of-The-Darkness Walk, 4:30 p.m. to sunset, Saturday, Sept. 21, at Molokai Canoe Club. For information, contact U‘ilani Kiaha at (808) 757-0460.

Adult survivors of suicide loss bereavement support group on Molokai, organized by Nā Puʻuwai, met on Tuesday, Sept. 10. For information, email Anuhea Beair at ipc@napuuwai.org or call (808) 560-1060. The group meets on the second Tuesday of each month.

Hawaii CARES 988 offers a free crisis, mental health and substance use call center. Locally trained and qualified clinical and crisis call center staff provide supportive counseling and screening for urgent or emergent mental health or substance use needs, recommendations for behavioral health assessments, services and crisis interventions. Call or text 988, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information, visit hicares.hawaii.gov.