Canyons School District parents are invited to a free Suicide Prevention Seminar. The event is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2013, from 7 8 p.m. at Hillcrest High School, 7350 S. 900 East in Midvale. The event will be held in the auditorium. The seminar also will be delivered in Spanish in AT 200.
The seminar will provide parents information about suicide prevention and child wellness resources, signs a loved one may be at risk, and tips on how to intervene and report concerns.
Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death for adults ages 24 to 64, The Salt Lake Tribune reports. In 2011, Utah recorded 490 suicide deaths, marking a rate that rose by 60 percent over the previous eight years, the Tribune reported. The State of Utah has appointed statewide suicide prevention coordinators to work at the Utah Department of Human Services and the Utah State Office of Education. A new Utah law also requires secondary schools to implement suicide prevention programs, and local school boards to approve policies requiring parent notification of bullying and suicide threats. The Canyons Board of Education approved the Reporting Student Safety Policy last month.
