Oakland County to Host Teen Suicide Forum Monday

Oakland County residents are invited to attend an informative community discussion about teen suicide Monday in Birmingham.

A panel of experts from the Rose Hill Center, Common Ground, Oakland County Health Department and the Oakland County Youth Suicide Prevention Task Force will discuss the signs, symptoms and other risk factors of suicide.

The panel will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Holy Name Catholic Church, in the parish hall, in Birmingham.

The panel is free and, according to organizers, open to all county residents but is especially appropriate for parents and students in junior high and high school.

The forum is being held in response from several requests from area families whose communities have been impacted by suicide over the past few months, according to organizers.

The Berkley High School community is among those mourning the loss of a student who took his life in October.

The Fenton area has also been mouring a recent suicide. Josh Pacheco, 17, a Linden High School student was a bullying victim who committed suicide on Nov. 27. An anti-bullying group recently held a walk in his memory.

During the forum, attendees will also learn about the role social media can play in suicide prevention and what is being done locally to address the issue of youth suicide. A question-and-answer session will follow.

Resources

• Rose Hill Center: A psychiatric rehabilitation center in Holly, www.rosehillcenter.org
• Common Ground: A 24-hour crisis services agency, www.commongroundhelps.org
• Oakland County Youth Suicide Prevention Task Force: www.oakgov.com/health