Learn about a new program from AFSP called “L.E.T.S Save Lives” that aims to reduce stigma and promote mental health discussions in the Black community.
ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) – As Suicide Prevention Month comes to a close, a meeting held Wednesday night gave people an opportunity to openly discuss and learn about mental health and suicide, particularly in the Black community.
A new program called “L.E.T.S Save Lives” by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention was introduced at the meeting and it focuses on reducing the stigma African-Americans may face surrounding mental health.
Markita Madden is the program manager for AFSP and the spokesperson at the meeting. She lost lost two brothers and her father to suicide. She says her family never opened up about it, which is why she speaks to prevent others from bottling things up or avoiding tough subjects.
“In the Black community or in the faith community, we’re a little hesitant to talk about our mental health. We tend to follow the protocol that we just need to pray things away or we just need to be stronger,” said Madden.
One of the meeting’s main goals was to realize that not being open or listening to others going through a tough time makes things more difficult.
“A lot of stuff like anxiety or depression, it’s put on to, like, go pray about it or just trust in your faith, which is great, but sometimes you need a little extra help,” said Alberta Craighead, a meeting attendee.
The meeting also talked about how it’s important that if one of your loved ones died by suicide to not blame yourself. Those reminders help lift any guilt or shame so we can encourage our loved ones to live another day, the meeting emphasized.
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is a voluntary health organization that advocates for research and education around suicide, based in New York City, with a public policy office based in Washington, D.C. The organization’s stated mission is to “save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide.”
The organization was founded in 1987.
According to a Charity Navigator rating published in 2023, more than 81% of the organization’s finances went towards program expenses (based on financial data from fiscal year 2022), which, according to Charity Navigator, received a “perfect rating for accountability and transparency.” AFSP also partners with Aetna.
For 2018, AFSP received $37 million in financial contributions from 700,000 new and returning donors.
Through an alliance with OSHA, AFSP “provides local [workplace] communities with support services for survivors of suicide loss.”
Programs designed to educate the larger public about suicide and prevention best practices, such as Talk Saves Lives: An Introduction to Suicide Prevention, are offered by AFSP under the umbrella of prevention education and provide a general understanding of suicide, including its scope and what can be done to prevent it.
International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day (also known as “Survivor Day”) is an event occasionally co-sponsored by AFSP. Originally introduced as “National Survivors of Suicide Loss Day” in 1999, when United States Sen. Harry Reid—himself a survivor of suicide loss—formally introduced a resolution to the Senate, the day is officially observed annually on the Saturday before American Thanksgiving.
The Interactive Screening Program, or ISP, is an online tool offered by AFSP first piloted at Emory University, and has since been implemented in colleges, police departments, workplaces and the NFL Players Union.
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A recent meeting highlights the critical efforts and strategies to prevent suicide and enhance mental health in African American communities.”
#MentalHealthMatters #CommunitySupport #HealthEquity
