Lethbridge Family Services to offer suicide awareness presentations

The mental health crisis has become a “parallel pandemic” to COVID-19.  That is according to a 2021 report from the United Nations.  Lethbridge Family Services (LFS) announced workshops and trainings they are offering when it comes to suicide prevention.

Suicide awareness and prevention is a critical health response to COVID-19.  And Lethbridge Family Services believes that current circumstances present opportunities to improve suicide awareness efforts.  That’s why LFS is offering presentations to reduce stigma, increase awareness, and increase help-seeking.

Some promising news from the province’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner shows preliminary data to indicate the number of suicide cases in southern Alberta in 2020 was 107.  That is compared to 119 and 123 in 2019 and 2018 respectively. John Thompson, Outreach & Education Supervisor for LFS says the numbers are dropping partly because of increased awareness to mental health.

The trainings and workshops take place from June to August.  You can get more information from the Lethbridge Family Services website.