Letter to the editor: Suicide awareness close to home

Thank you for shedding light on an important issue with the editorial “Suicide prevention that starts close to home” (July 19, TribLIVE). According to the National Institute of Mental Health, there were nearly 2½ times as many suicides in the United States as homicides in 2019. There is a mental health pandemic as well as a public health pandemic. Mental health needs are on the rise while service availability becomes more challenging.

We are fortunate in Westmoreland County to have another amazing resource not mentioned in the editorial. The Ray of Hope suicide awareness and prevention task force offers many services and programs. It is composed of county, community agency, educational and veteran representatives as well as loss and attempt survivors. The task force holds an annual awareness walk at Twin Lakes, this year on Sept. 11, with a special program for people who have lost loved ones to suicide.

Mental Health America of Southwestern Pennsylvania, with support from the task force, offers a support group for individuals who have lost loved ones to suicide, guided by mental health professionals. There are other free support groups, as well.

Ray of Hope holds a conference and provides nationally recognized suicide awareness trainings and speakers free to the public, as well as other programs and free resources. These can be found at rayofhopewest moreland.org.

We want the public to be aware that this resource exists at this critical time of need.

Laurie Barnett Levine

South Greensburg

The writer is chief executive officer of Mental Health America and vice chair of the Ray of Hope Suicide Awareness and Prevention Task Force.