September has been declared Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month in Alaska. To aid in suicide prevention efforts, the 2020 GCI Suicide Prevention Fund and funds from GCI Gives have been granted to 15 suicide prevention programs totaling $170,000.
The 2020 GCI Suicide Prevention Fund contributes to vital suicide prevention efforts with an emphasis on organizations that serve small, rural communities that might sometimes be overlooked, as well as larger programs that reach Alaskans in bigger cities. Since the fund’s first year, GCI has given more than $470,000 to local organizations for suicide prevention efforts.
Through the grant application process, the recipients demonstrated plans for and proven success of deploying suicide prevention strategies that are customized to address needs specific to Alaska, especially in rural areas.
GCI awarded grants to the following recipients this year:
- Alaska Council of School Administrators
- Alaska Eating Disorders Alliance
- Aleut Community of St. Paul Island
- Bethel Community Services Foundation, Inc.
- Camp Fire Alaska
- Choosing Our Roots
- Community Connections
- Kuspuk School District
- NAMI Juneau
- Native Village of Buckland
- Native Village of Tanacross
- Native Village of Unalakleet
- OPT-In Kiana
- Team Red, White & Blue
- Women in Safe Homes
The state offered a series of online seminars to help with the prevention of suicide earlier in the month. As the month has continued, the temperatures have dropped, and the amount of daylight is fading quickly, leading to a reminder that Alaska can be a tough place as we get closer to winter. Alaska has consistently had one of the highest suicide rates in the nation since the National Violent Death Reporting System began in 2003, and the incidence of suicide in Alaska has increased considerably in recent years.
Last year, the state Department of Health and Social Services released an information bulletin stating that 1,103 people killed themselves between 2012-17.
During that time frame, Alaska’s suicide rate was either the first or second highest in the nation. Suicide was the leading cause of death among Alaskans aged 10–64 years and is the sixth leading cause of death overall in the state, according to the bulletin.
