Need to Prevent Suicides Stressed to House Panel

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Need to Prevent Suicides Stressed to House Panel - Texas

Dallas News, Connie Mabin 04/03/2002

AUSTIN - With a framed photo of her son, Chase, by her side, Merily Keller on Tuesday bragged to members of a legislative committee about her child. He was an honor student at St. Stephen's Episcopal School in Austin. He was captain of his cross-country team. He was an Eagle Scout.

And as an 18-year-old high school senior, he was accepted into the high-tech program at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business.

It was an accomplishment Chase would never know.

Three days before the university's acceptance letter arrived in the mail, Chase hanged himself.

His death was one of five teenage suicides at two Austin schools last year, and one of more than 2,000 suicides across Texas.

Afterward, Ms. Keller said she and her husband used Chase's college fund to hire a national suicide expert to investigate.

"Our immediate concern after Chase died was to stop the suicides from continuing. We didn't want any more teenagers to die," she told the House Human Services Committee.

Ms. Keller was among several people affected by suicide who testified at the hearing that Texas needs a comprehensive, statewide suicide prevention program.

The panel of lawmakers is studying the issue and will decide whether legislation needs to be filed when the next session begins in January.
"Why don't we talk about suicide more openly and address it like a public health problem like we do cancer or heart disease or diabetes or HIV?" Ms. Keller asked.

"You as the Human Services Committee and as our representatives can help Texas from losing more lives to suicide. So I'm asking you, please take action," she said.

The state Health Department is working on a suicide prevention plan proposal that will be submitted to lawmakers, said John Hellsten of the department's Bureau of Epidemiology.

Each year, about 2,090 Texans take their own lives, Mr. Hellsten said. Another 53,000 people attempt suicide.

"This is about 50 percent more than the number of deaths from homicides, and in recent years, it's been nearly twice the number of deaths of people dying from AIDS," Mr. Hellsten said. "So in my mind that clearly identifies it as a problem."

Following the federal government's lead, 17 states have adopted suicide prevention plans.

Like most, Texas' plan should focus on raising awareness about suicide and depression, starting school-oriented prevention programs, teaching community leaders how to recognize and get help for suicidal people, and setting up crisis lines, the committee was told.

Other state agencies such as the Texas Education Agency should also be involved.

Dr. Anthony Anderson of San Antonio said too many patients in need of mental health treatment are being lost in a complex, overburdened, underfunded, misunderstood system.

"Right now, our current system of dealing with suicidology is broken. It's just not working," he said. "The result is patients who end up depressed and reaching out and finally taking action with little else to do."

http://www.dallasnews.com/texassouthwest/stories/040302dntexhotline.628a9.html

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