Quebec Suicide Prevention Week, February 3-9, 2013

Suicide Action Montreal Advocates Better Adaptation of Suicide Prevention Strategies

MONTREAL, Feb. 1, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - Suicide Action Montreal (SAM) believes that an adaptation of suicide prevention strategies is needed for the Montreal area. It therefore proposes the establishment of a regional observatory, involving several partners, to gain knowledge and enable more concrete, targeted action on a local scale to prevent suicide and attempted suicide.

Major discrepancies between the territories in Montreal

A recent study (2012) concerning 566 suicide deaths, which occurred in Montreal between 2007 and 2009, revealed a major disparity between Montreal's CSSS (Health and Social Services Centre) territories, in terms of both the suicide rates and the characteristics of people who take their own lives. For example, the adjusted suicide mortality rate for the CSSS Jeanne-Mance territory is 17.4, compared with 5.1 for the CSSS West Island.

[Translation] "These major discrepancies lead us to believe that an adaptation of suicide prevention strategies is needed on a local scale and cannot be achieved without a good knowledge of the characteristics of people who take their lives in a given territory," says André Landry, Managing Director of SAM.

Suicide Prevention Week: continuing to act

As part of Suicide Prevention Week, Suicide Action Montreal (SAM) wants to remind our province's population and its leaders of the importance of continuing to act and to make use of the services available in Quebec to reduce the deaths caused by the terrible scourge that is suicide.

To consult the research report on the profile of people who committed suicide in the Montreal area between 2007 and 2009, follow the link on our Internet site at: http://suicideactionmontreal.org/uploads/Rapport_de_recherche__SAM-CRISE_2012.pdf

About SAM

SAM's services are aimed at people who are suicidal, their loved ones, people who have lost someone to suicide and community workers. For more information on our services, go to: www.suicideactionmontreal.org

If you need help or are worried about a loved one, appropriate resources are available in your region, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, through our free intervention hotline at 1-866-APPELLE (1-866-277-3553).

SOURCE: Suicide Action Montréal

Information and interviews:

Anne Riby, Suicide Action Montreal
514-723-3594 ext. 232

André Landry, Managing Director, Suicide Action Montreal