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.

If you or someone you know needs immediate help with suicidal thoughts, go to an emergency room or call 911. For help with coping with stress, depression, family crises, drug or narcotics abuse and other issues, contact Common Ground Mental Health and Crisis Intervention at 800-231-1127, Samaritan Counseling Center at 248-474-4701, or the National Suicide Prevention Lifelife, 800-273-TALK.

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.

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.

To learn more about suicide prevention efforts in Farmington and Farmington Hills, visit the Farmington Area Suicide Awareness group on Facebook.