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TSPN CALL to Action
VOLUME 10, ISSUE 11
NOVEMBER 2014
TENNESSEE SUICIDE PREVENTION NETWORK
SUICIDE DEATHS IN TENNESSEE SURPASSED
1,OOO-MARK IN 2013
Tennessee passed a grim milestone in 2013—the
first year with more than 1,000 recorded suicide
deaths. This combined with a sharp rise in the
actual suicide rate suggests the need for a
redoubling of efforts, particularly in rural parts of
the state.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
V13ION
2
Columbia SOS Retreat
3
International Survivors
of Suicide Loss Day
3
WHO Report
4
ACEs and Military
Service
4
TSPN Regional
Calendar
5
Advisory Council
Contact Information
6
TDOH’s Office of Health Statistics reports there
were 1,017 recorded suicide deaths in
Tennessee in 2013, up from 956 the past year
and marking the fourth consecutive year with an
increase in raw numbers. The suicide rate rose
from 14.8 per 100,000 population in 2012 to
15.7 in 2013, reversing a four-year trend of
declining or steady rates.
County
Number of Suicide rate
recorded per 100,000
Region
Pickett
3
59.1
Lewis
6
50.2
Upper Cumberland
South Central
Overton
10
45.3
Upper Cumberland
Hancock
3
45.1
Northeast
Stewart
6
44.9
Mid-Cumberland
McNairy
10
38.3
Rural West
Perry
3
38.1
South Central
White
10
38.1
Upper Cumberland
Houston
3
36.2
Mid-Cumberland
Above: the ten counties with the highest suicide rates for the
year 2013. Below: the ten counties with the highest five-year
(2009-13) average suicide rates. All figures courtesy of the
Tennessee Department of Health.
Firearms remain the most common means of
suicide death in Tennessee, accounting for 674, or 66%,
of the recorded suicide deaths in 2013. 18% of the
deaths (181) were hangings or suffocations and 12% of
the deaths (125) were poisonings or overdoses. All these
proportions are roughly the same as last year’s figures.
Whites account for 78% of the general population of
Tennessee but 93% (950) of the suicide deaths. Males
are also disproportionately represented, making up 49%
of the population but 81% (822) of the suicide deaths
recorded in 2013. The ten counties with the highest rates
for last year and the ones with the highest five-year
average are displayed in the charts accompanying this
article.
County
Five-year
average
suicide rate
Hancock
38.6
Northeast
Stewart
35.9
Mid-Cumberland
Region
Henry
30.9
Rural West
Jackson
30.0
Upper Cumberland
South Central
Lewis
30.0
Claiborne
29.4
Northeast
Houston
28.7
Mid-Cumberland
Perry
28.1
South Central
White
27.9
Upper Cumberland
McNairy
26.9
Rural West
Three counties—Haywood, Trousdale, and Van Buren—have not had any suicide deaths reported since
2011. Trousdale County is of particular interest since deaths there have significantly declined since
2010, when it had the highest suicide rate of any county in Tennessee.
295 PLUS PARK BOULEVARD,
SUITE 201
NASHVILLE, TN 37217
PHONE: (615) 297-1077
FAX: (615) 269-5413
E-MAIL: TSPN@TSPN.ORG
WWW.TSPN.ORG
For the record, the latest figures from the American Association of Suicidology (AAS) give a national rate
of 12.9 per 100,000 as of 2012, with Tennessee’s rate that year (15.2 per 100,000) placing it at 20th
among the states.
Nationally, there were 40,600 suicide deaths in the U.S. in 2012, the latest year national data is
available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This comes out to 110.9 suicide deaths
each day and one death every 13 minutes. Suicide is the 10th–leading cause of death in the United
States and is responsible for 1.6% of all deaths recorded in 2010.
Firearms were the leading mode of death, involved in 20,666 suicide deaths, or 51% of the total. The
complete set of national figures and state rankings is available via the AAS website (www.suicidology.org/
resources/facts-statistics).
County suicide numbers and rates for the last ten years are available on the TSPN website, with
subdivisions for sex, race, and select age groups (see http://tspn.org/suicide-statistics-2). Meanwhile,
TSPN is planning to use these figures and others as a part of its annual Status of Suicide in Tennessee
report, slated for release in January. Details about this report will be available in future editions of the
TSPN Call to Action.
TSPN CALL TO ACTION
V13ION MOTORCYCLE RALLY PLANNED FOR SEPTEMBER 2015
The Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network is partnering with local
suicide prevention activist Chuck Lambert, his wife Dorothy, and
Harley-Davidson dealerships across Tennessee to stage V13ION
(pronounced “vision”), a motorcycle rally planned for Labor Day
Weekend 2015.
For the last four years, Chuck has organized and hosted a ride at his
business, Breezin Metal Works, in the southeastern part of the state
to honor the memory of his son and raise awareness for suicide prevention. Chad “Chubbs” Lambert was
an accomplished tattoo artist, motocross racer, and just starting to gain recognition for his paintings when
he lost his life to suicide in 2010. “I dream of him often,” says Chuck, “and my vision for him is to make
sure no one has to feel the pain he felt before his death or the pain I feel every day since.” Past events
have involved 400 participants and raised funds that went directly to first responders for suicide
prevention. This year, Chuck, Dorothy, the Jason Foundation, Inc., TSPN, and Harley-Davidson dealerships
across Tennessee are joining forces to take our V13ION statewide: no more lives lost, no more hearts torn
by suicide.
The event will include a memorial ride for all Tennesseans that have lost their lives to suicide, with check-in
stations at local Harley-Davidson dealerships—each one offering information and resources about mental
health and suicide prevention. Individual riders, as well as teams, will collect pledges ahead of the event,
with a custom-built reverse-flow smoker with trailer awarded to the dealership that raises the most funds
for suicide awareness and prevention.
The number 13 is a unifying symbol for Chad and TSPN. Chad’s favorite number, and his motocross racing
number, was 13. Additionally, someone in the United States dies by suicide every 13 minutes on average,
according to the latest figures from the American Association of Suicidology (see page 1).
Additional information about this project, including how riders and teams can sign up and start collecting
pledges, will be announced in coming months via the TSPN mailing list and the . To add your name to the
mailing list, see the event page on our website (http://tspn.org/v13ion).
Bottom left: Chuck Lambert (third from right), TSPN Executive Director Scott Ridgway (second from right) and others pose for a group
photo at Boswell's Harley-Davidson in Nashville, having visited the shop to promote V13ION.
Bottom center: a promotional poster for V13ION designed by Eve Nite.
At right, second from bottom: TSPN Executive Director Scott Ridgway poses for a photo at Boswell's Harley-Davidson in Cookeville with
Denise Dillon and Marketing Manager Tim Hartley.
The other photos on the right and at the far bottom are from previous rallies organized by Chuck and Dorothy Lambert.
VOLUME 10, ISSUE 11
SURVIVORS OF SUICIDE GATHER FOR COLUMBIA RETREAT
The following report on the Survivors of Suicide retreat held in
October was submitted by Karyl Chastain Beal, facilitator of the
Parents of Suicides/ Families and Friends of Suicides support group.
Chastain Beal is also Co-Chair of TSPN’s Advisory Council.
"The retreat was the most incredible experience I have ever had,"
wrote Tammy Prentice, mother of Morgan Prentice, from Memphis.
Alissa Andrews, Joe Costal’s sister, and Barbara Barr, Dennis Barr’s
wife, also attended the retreat, along with over a dozen people from
all over the United States.
The Fall Grief After Suicide retreat was held in Columbia, Tennessee
in October 2014. Scheduled activities include a time for sharing
photos, quilts, awards and stories, and sharing circles. There are also remembrance circles before meals
held in the Butterfly Pavilion, lighted candles, and on Saturday night, the sacred Peace Fire. There is
plenty of time to visit the moving International Suicide Memorial Wall, and to socialize, share informally,
and relax. (There are even activities that get loud with laughter.)
Guests at the retreat pose for a group photo
after lunch at Puckett's Grocery and Restaurant in downtown Columbia (photo courtesy
of Karyl Chastain Beal, seated at far left).
Scott Ridgway of TSPN joined the group for lunch on Friday and welcomed them to Tennessee. He also shared information about TSPN and
suicide prevention. He brought the newest Love Never Dies quilt to show them; there is a memorial square on this quilt for Dennis Barr.
This retreat was the 33rd Grief After Suicide retreat Ronnie and Karyl Chastain Beal have held at their home. (The first few retreats were held
in Pavo, Georgia before they moved to Tennessee in 2009.) People have attended the retreats from a variety of other states, and also from
Canada, England, Ireland, Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
According to Karyl, the first retreat held in July 2000 was a spontaneous week-end gathering of members of the Parents of Suicides group
who were desperate to meet in person with others so they could talk out loud and know that others might understand. There were no plans,
and there was no structure, but the bonding was so profound that at the end of the week-end, everyone said, “We’ll be back.”
INTERNATIONAL SURVIVORS OF SUICIDE LOSS DAY NOVEMBER 22
Survivors of suicide in Tennessee and across the globe will participate in viewing sessions for this
year’s Annual International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day broadcast, to be held on November 22.
Each year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP)
hosts a panel discussion featuring experienced survivors and mental health professionals. The
90-minute program is broadcast via satellite to independently organized local conference sites. An
Internet simulcast of the program will air on the AFSP website (www.afsp.org) with a live online chat
immediately following. The program will be available for free online viewing until November of next year.
This year’s gatherings will include a screening of AFSP’s new documentary “The Journey”, which follows
the grief and recovery tells the stories of a diverse group of suicide loss survivors.
Currently events are scheduled in 46 states. Internationally, events are planned in Australia, Canada,
Chile, the Czech Republic, Guatemala, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Singapore, South Africa, and Taiwan.
Two events are scheduled within Tennessee. The Jared’s Keepers Foundation, Inc., a newly established suicide prevention awareness group,
is organizing Music City Survivors of Suicide Loss Day from 9 AM-2 PM at the Swang Building on the Lipscomb University, located at 1
University Park Drive in Nashville. Lunch is included and there is no charge for admission. More information is available from Kelsey Neeley
at (615) 818-4413 or info@jaredskeepers.com. More information about the Foundation itself is available at the group's website
(www.jaredskeepers.com).
Additionally, an event is scheduled for 11:00-2:30 PM at Germantown Church of Christ, located at 8723 Poplar Pike in Germantown. For
more information, contact Tonia Howell at t.howell4afspmemphis@yahoo.com.
For those who cannot attend a screening event, AFSP will be hosting a Google Hangout Q&A with fellow suicide loss survivors and experts on
coping with suicide grief. It will include an online screening of The Journey. Registration for the Q&A is available at www.survivorday.org/
survivor-day-live.
PAGE 3
TSPN CALL TO ACTION
WHO ISSUES FIRST GLOBAL REPORT ON SUICIDE PREVENTION
The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued its first ever report on the problem of suicide.
“Preventing Suicide, A Global Imperative”, released on September 3, outlines the toll suicide takes on a
global level, discusses high-risk population groups, and offers recommendations on what individuals,
governments, and global agencies can do to prevent suicide.
WHO estimates that over 800,000 people die by suicide each year around the world—the equivalent of
one death every 40 seconds. Only 60 of the world’s 196 countries have death registration data that
effectively captures information about death by suicide. Only 28 have a viable national strategy for
suicide prevention. (The United States is included in both categories.)
Globally, the most common means of suicide death are pesticide poisoning (mostly in developing
nations), hanging and firearms (of particular concern in the Americas). While suicide rates in general are
highest among older adults, in some countries the highest rates are among young people. Internationally,
suicide is the second leading cause of death among people aged 15-29. Men are more likely to die by
suicide than women, by a ratio of three-to-one in wealthier nations. Young adults and older women in
lower- and middle-income nations have higher suicide rates than those with high-incomes.
In terms of prevention, WHO recommends limiting access to means of suicide death, based on studies
from universities and research programs across the world. Other recommendations include the creation
and implementation of a coordinated suicide prevention plan (e.g., the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention), as well as the earlier and
improved treatment of mental health and substance abuse issues by public health agencies—particularly follow-up care for survivors of
recent suicide attempts. The report also pointed out the role of responsible and non-sensationalistic media coverage in educating the public
about suicide risk. World governments can play a part by involving many different departments and agencies in suicide prevention efforts,
especially health, education, employment, social work, and law enforcement agencies.
The English-language version of “Preventing Suicide, A Global Imperative” is available at http://is.gd/KFjbM6.
STUDY CONNECTS CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MILITARY SERVICE
Men who enlist in the armed forces may be bringing with them unresolved childhood issues that may
culminate in suicides, suicide attempts, and other dysfunctional behaviors after they join up, according to
a study recently published in JAMA Psychiatry.
Adverse Childhood Experiences
The following phenomena are classified by
the CDC as adverse childhood experiences
for the purposes of its research:
A team of researchers from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs and three universities collaborated to
analyze data from the 2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, which includes survey data from •
roughly 500,000 people in the U.S. They filtered the data according to the survey’s adverse childhood
•
experience (ACE) inventory and their history of military service.
ACEs are proven predictors of physical and mental health issues in adulthood, including suicidal thoughts
and behavior. In the 1990s, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention developed the concept of
ACEs as part of ongoing studies of the relationship between childhood maltreatment and poor health and
wellbeing in adulthood. The CDC identified ten events or circumstances in childhood that were risk
factors for illness, early death, and poor quality of life. (See the inset for the complete list.)
•
•
•
•
•
Male survey participants with military records were about twice as likely to report ACEs. This was
especially the case among men who had enlisted in the armed forces as opposed to draftees—the
•
volunteers were twice as likely to report multiple ACEs as the general population. Little to no difference in
•
ACEs was noted among male draftees or women regardless of military history.
The results suggest that some men with unstable or difficult childhoods may use enlistment as an
escape from their past, only to have these problems manifest in psychological issues in later life, while
they are in the service.
The citation for this study is as follows: Blosnich, J.R., et al. (2014). Disparities in adverse childhood
experiences among individuals with a history of military service. JAMA Psychiatry 71(9):1041-1048.
PAGE 4
•
physical abuse by a parent or other
adult in the household
verbal abuse by a parent or other adult
in the household
sexual abuse by a parent or other adult
in the household
physical neglect
emotional neglect
an alcoholic parent
a mother who was a victim of domestic
violence
a family member in prison
a family member diagnosed with a
mental illness
disappearance of a parent through
death, divorce, or abandonment
(Source: ACESTooHigh.com, a news site
that reports on research related to ACEs)
VOLUME 10, ISSUE 11
TSPN REGIONAL CALENDAR
No December meetings are scheduled unless otherwise marked. Dates marked in
bold and in cranberry indicate alternate meeting dates intended to accommodate state
holidays or other previously scheduled events.
East Tennessee Region
monthly, 3rd Thursday, 12:15 PM
Third Floor Conference Room, Cherokee Health Systems, 2018 Western Avenue, Knoxville,
37921
November 20, January 15, February 19, March 19, April 16, May 21, June 18,
July 16, August 20, October 15, and November 19
Memphis/Shelby County Region
monthly, 3rd Tuesday, 11:30 AM
Memphis Crisis Centers Training Facility, 70 North Pauline, Memphis, 38105
November 18, January 20, February 17, March 17, April 21, May 19,
June 16, July 21, August 18, October 20, and November 17
Mid-Cumberland Region
monthly, 2nd Thursday, 9:30 AM
Tennessee Voices for Children, 701 Bradford Avenue, 37204
November 13, December 11, January 8, February 12, March 12, April 9, May 14, June 11, July
9, August 13, October 8, November 12, December 10
Northeast Region
monthly, 4th Tuesday, 10:30 AM
Boone’s Creek Christian Church, 305 Christian Church Road, Gray, 37615
November 25
Rural West
monthly, 3rd Wednesday, 10:30 AM
Behavioral Health Initiatives, 36C Sandstone Circle, Jackson, 38305
November 19
TSPN's Upper Cumberland Region set up an exhibit at the Upper Cumberland Senior Expo on
October 23. Pictured from left to right: TSPN intern Meghan Harless, Jeremy Fleenor, Lena
Higgins, and TSPN Member Emeritus Jodi Bartlett (photo courtesy of Anne Stamps).
South Central
monthly, 1st Wednesday, 11:00 AM
Conference Room A, South Central Regional Health Office, 1216 Trotwood Avenue, Columbia,
38401
November 5 and December 3
Southeast Region
monthly, 1st Thursday, 10:00 AM
Johnson Mental Health Center, 420 Bell Avenue, Chattanooga, 37405
November 6, December 4, and January 8
Upper Cumberland Region
monthly, 4th Thursday, 9:00 AM
Volunteer Behavioral Health, 1200 Willow Avenue, Cookeville, 38502
October 16, November 20, and December 18
Intra-State Department Meetings
2 PM
Third Floor Conference Room, Centerstone, 1101 Sixth Avenue North, Nashville, 37208
November 12
Advisory Council
February 11 (Community Room, Metro Nashville Police Department Hermitage Precinct,
3701 James Kay Lane, Hermitage, 37076 (10:30 AM)
Blount County Mental Health Awareness and Suicide Prevention Alliance
monthly, 1st Friday, 12:00 PM
Boys and Girls Club Meeting Room, Fort Craig Elementary School, 520 South Washington
Street, Maryville, 37804
November 7 and December 5
This map, showing 2012 suicide rates per 100,000 by country, is included in “Preventing
Suicide: A Global Imperative” (see page 3).
Davidson County Suicide Prevention Task Force
Monthly, 4th Wednesday, 3:00 PM
Metro Public Health Department, 2500 Charlotte Pike, Nashville, 37209
To be announced
Giles County Suicide Prevention Task Force
quarterly, 3rd Monday, 11:00 AM
Giles County Career Center, 125 South Cedar Lane, Pulaski, 38478
November 17, February 2, May 4, August 3, and November 2
Hickman-Perry County Suicide Prevention Task Force
monthly, 4th Friday, 1:30 PM
Senior Care Building, Hickman Community Hospital, 135 East Swan Street, Centerville, 37033
November 21
Montgomery-Houston-Humphreys-Stewart Suicide Prevention Task Force
monthly, 1st Tuesday, 9 AM
Youth Villages, 651 Stowe Court, Clarksville, 37040
November 4, December 9, January 6, February 3, March 3, April 7, May 5, June 2, July 7, August 4, October 6, November 3, and December 1
Rutherford County Suicide Prevention Coalition
monthly, 1st Tuesday, 6 PM
TrustPoint Hospital, 1009 North Thompson Lane, Murfreesboro, 37129
November 4 and December 2
PAGE 5
ADVISORY COUNCIL
CONTACT
INFORMATION
If you are interested in getting
involved with TSPN on a local level or
have other questions, contact the
chairperson of your region as
indicated by the map provided below:
Northeast region
Harold Leonard, MA, LPC-MHSP
(423) 245-5608
hleonard@centurylink.net
East Tennessee region
Anne Young, MS, CAS
(865) 216-9884
anneyoung@cornerstoneofrecovery.com
Rural West region
Sabrina Anderson
(731) 422-2008
sanderson@bgcjmc.org
Memphis and Shelby County
Waring Porter
(901) 233-2175
wporter@allsaintspres.com
South Central region
Karyl Chastain Beal, MEd, CT
(931) 388-9289
karylcb@bellsouth.net
Mid-Cumberland region
Christen Thorpe, MS, CRC, CATSM
(615) 383-2115, extension 70
christen.thorpe@gmail.com
Southeast region
Eve Nite
(423) 697-5952
enite@mhc-tn.org
Gibson
Tipton
so
er
nd
He
Madison
n
Lewis
Chester
Shelby
Fayette
Hardeman
McNairy
Hardin
Wayne
Lawrence
Giles
Bedford
Coffee
Loudon
Franklin
Marion
Se
qu
atc
h ie
Rhea
Monroe
Bradley
Greene
n
hn
so
Jo
ash
ing
to
n
blen
Ham
Jefferson
Sevier
Grundy
Lincoln
Knox
Roane
Maury
Carter
r
Cocke
Van Buren
Warren
Perry
on
no n
Can
Ble
ds
oe
Haywood
Rutherford
Hickman
tt
ge
ain
Gr
Cumberland
White
Mo
ore
C ro
c ke
le
rs
de
An
De Kalb
Marshall
a
er d
Wilson
Williamson
Decatur
d
Lau
Union
W
ham
Dickson
Sullivan
Hawkins
Morgan
Putnam
Humphreys
Carroll
Campbell
Smith
Davidson
Hancock
Claiborne
Scott
Fentress
Overton
Jackson
Me
igs
Be
nto
n
Houston
Executive Director
Scott Ridgway, MS
(615) 297-1077
sridgway@tspn.org
Pickett
Clay
Trousdale
Weakley
Dyer
Macon
Sumner
Henry
Cheat
Lak
e
Obion
Robertson
e ry
om
ntg
Mo
Advisory Council Chair
Tim Tatum, MA, LPC-MHSP
(423) 339-4351
timtatumlpc@gmail.com
Advisory Council Emeritus Group Chair
Jodi Bartlett, Ed. S, LPC-MHSP
(931) 423-7866 or
(931) 423-4123, ext. 166
jbartlett@vbhcs.org
Ha
mil
t on
Stewart
Upper Cumberland region
Anne Stamps
(931) 484-8020 or 823-5678
jstamps@vbhcs.org
McMinn
Polk
Blount
ic
Un
oi