I appreciate the article, "Idaho's suicide rate tops country," by Della Sentilles.
Unfortunately, these numbers are likely much higher, since there is no way to count the "accidental" drug overdoses and car wrecks that might be suicides. Suicide is such a tragedy and often preventable with appropriate help. Help in Idaho is minimal. According to the Web site of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Idaho ranked 49th in the nation in per capita mental health spending.
NAMI, which has affiliates all over the country, is dedicated to education, advocacy, and support of the mentally ill and their families. Mental illness affects one in five families and de-stigmatizing mental illness is a priority. People need to know it is not a character flaw but a biologically based brain disorder and early intervention can greatly improve prognoses.
Our local group, NAMI Wood River Valley, received two generous grants from the St. Luke's WR Foundation and the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation Education Fund to purchase up-to-date educational materials from NAMI National. Our volunteers have recently distributed these to the teachers and staff of all schools in Blaine County. They are also available to the general public at our drop-off sites such as churches, doctors' offices and health centers.
We provide a free annual Family to Family educational group, bi-monthly support groups, and are starting a peer-to-peer group soon.
In order to continue and to expand these services we are having a fund-raiser in November and look forward to community support of our efforts.
Sandy Hyde
NAMI Wood River Valley
