Working together towards a community without suicide
WELCOME TO
Suicide Prevention Ottawa
Suicide Prevention Ottawa is a group of organizations working together in Ottawa to make services more effective at preventing suicide among children, youth and young adults.
Our work revolves around three key areas of focus: research, responding after a suicide (or suicide postvention), and building capacity.
Browse our website to find information on these topics and more, along with resources and links to local organizations that can help respond to suicide in our community.
Suicide Prevention Ottawa does not provide crisis support.
For 24/7 bilingual, crisis support, call the Child Youth and Family Crisis Line at 613-260-2360, or 1-877-377-7775 (outside Ottawa) or call the Crisis Line at 1-866-996-09
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Talking about mental health lets us get help & make sense of our feelings. For Munea, hearing others talk about their mental health helps her as well. The way someone understands their experiences can help others understand what they're going through. "Your story is important!"
Check out our 1st #VirtualYNRA #YouthMentalHealth program of 2021 - Self-Care Group: Winter Wellness Edition! Starts Feb. 1st, so youth ages 13-20 hurry & get on our waitlist at http://YNRA.ca/youth-programs. We can’t wait to see you on Zoom again soon!
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CHEO’s #Autism Program recently launched “Chill and Chat”, a virtual hangout program to connect teens with autism during the pandemic. And we're looking for youth moderators to help connect their peers! Know someone who might be interested? Check it out: http://ow.ly/Xlv850D2y4P
Learn how to help
Build understanding & confidence
Helping caregivers detect risk and support children and youth who are struggling.
With information from the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, and Parents’ Lifelines of Eastern Ontario, Suicide Prevention Ottawa compiled a kit of resources that are essential to supporting caregivers to better understand what their children and youth are experiencing.
Building confidence to help someone who is struggling with suicide
Training in suicide prevention can help you to know what to look out for, and give you confidence in your response. The organization Living Works delivers training programs such as the Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), safeTALK and suicideTALK. These are offered in Ottawa through the Canadian Mental Health Association.
This year, on Thursday, Sept. 10th, Suicide Prevention Ottawa will host an online event on World Suicide Prevention Day to spark inspiration to help people who are struggling with suicide. This year’s theme of “One Good Thing” emphasizes that while suicide is complex and difficult with no simple fix. But as with all problems, suicide becomes more manageable if you break it down into small parts.
This event will share the experiences of two men with small but significant things that brought them to active recovery.
In the midst of COVID-19, with increased incidence of mental health issues, this Facebook Livestream event will share stories of hope, and demystify the things that can help people who are struggling to stay alive.
The event will feature presentation with two mental health advocates who will speak about their personal experiences.
Members of Suicide Prevention Ottawa that provide treatment and support for mental health issues will also be on hand to share resources and tools for people to identify risk and provide support.
To access the event at 12:00 on September 10th, go to https://www.facebook.com/TheRoyalMHC aponcia@ysb.ca.
What the experts say
learn how to respond
There is consensus among practitioners about effective ways to respond to a death by suicide. Drawing on this, and designed for organizations in the public, private and non-profit sectors, this checklist provides a step-by-step guide for what to do when a child/youth/young adult dies by suicide[1]. This document is meant as a support and complement to existing policies and procedures.
When someone dies by suicide, the effect on those touched by it –families, friends, workers – can be immediate and traumatic. Research shows that planning ahead can ease grieving, promote a smoother adjustment, and prevent contagion (Cerel & Campbell, 2008).
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Crisis & Resources
Youth Services Bureau (YSB) for caregivers and youth under 18: 613-260-2360
Kids Help Phone for young people: 1-800-668-6868
Good2talk for post-secondary students: 1-866-925-5454
Distress Centre for all ages: 613-238-3311
Mental Health Crisis Line for people 16 years and over: 613-722-6914
IN THE LOOP
What's New
Every year on September 10th, people around the world come together to prevent suicide. We do it for ourselves, for our family and for community. WSPD is an opportunity to celebrate and build upon our continued efforts to build a safer and healthier world. It is our chance to continue working together to prevent suicide.
Preventing suicide starts with one good thing. Small acts can have great impact, so on World Suicide Prevention Day, Suicide Prevention Ottawa encourages you to notice one good thing, to share one good thing, to do one good thing.
One step can lead to another and another and another.
This year join Suicide Prevention Ottawa for an online discussion about the good things that can get you through. More information to come.
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in the news
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Most people considering suicide share their distress and their intent. Training can help us see and respond to these invitations for help. It can give
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Research about what works
