Work hard to curb suicide

In a six-part series that concludes today, Deseret Morning News reporters Dennis Romboy and Lucinda Dillon Kinkead have delved extensively into the painful issue of teen suicide.

In no way was this series, "Teen Suicide, Utah's grim reality," meant to aggrandize the phenomenon or the victims of teen suicide. Rather, it was an exploration of the scope of the problem, the profound effects suicide has on families and others in a victim's sphere of influence and, last, to examine programs and efforts intended to help troubled teens who may contemplate suicide.

The series chronicled the journeys of many troubled teens. Among many victims, one was an autistic boy who was ridiculed by his high school classmates. Experts say autistic children are hypersensitive to even casual comments and teasing. In his suicide note, he described himself as an outcast at school and at church.

Another story addressed the heartbreak of Grand County, which experienced five suicides in the span of five months during 2004. Two of the victims were brothers.

The families who shared these stories exhibited tremendous bravery and grace. A child's suicide is every parent's worst nightmare. These parents somehow mustered the courage to share their experiences, many in the hope that other lives can be spared and that others can learn more about mental illness and the other dynamics behind suicide.

As much as these reports focused on very personal tragedies, today's installment provides cause for hope. There are a number of successful efforts in Utah, ranging from some formal programs administered through the juvenile court system and the nonprofit National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, Utah chapter, to volunteer efforts among professionals who work with children and teens themselves.

But there are many challenges. State lawmakers and locally elected officials need to fund these efforts so they can be sustained and more young lives can be spared. More must be done to ensure that there is greater parity between mental illness and physical illness, and that people who need treatment receive it.

If nothing else, the Deseret Morning News hopes that this series will stimulate a community dialogue about a very delicate subject. Some Utah leaders, such as Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, say the subject is considered "taboo" among too many people.

"They don't want to talk about it. It's an 'all is well in Zion' type of thing," says Shurtleff, who brought the teen suicide prevention project, the Jason Foundation, to Utah last November.

Clearly all is not well. Not when the state loses at least three teenagers to suicide every month. Not when Utah's suicide rate is among the top 10 in the nation.

As Shurtleff says, "We need to do something with the stigma."