Rocky Boy launches anti-suicide program

The words "Suicide Is Not an Option" may be on the front of her fluorescent green T-shirt, but Dr. Krissa Kirby and some of her colleagues from the clinic at Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation know that some on the reservation think that it is an option.

That is why Kirby, a clinical psychologist and the behavioral health supervisor at the Behavioral Health Department at the clinic, along with three of her colleagues, were at Rocky Boy Elementary School Friday to roll out a suicide prevention program.

Kirby and her three colleagues distributed information about suicide, how to spot the warning signs of someone who is at risk of attempting suicide and resources available for those in need of assistance.

Indian reservations are often plagued by high suicide rates. For Indian youth between the ages of 15 and 24, suicide is the second leading cause of death, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration within the U.S Department of Health and Human Services.

Statistics also show that children younger than 15 often attempt suicide or exhibit suicidal behavior.

Shannon Crossler, a mental health therapist at the clinic, said she and others in the clinic's behavioral health department see children as young as 7 or 8 years old who suffer from depression, anxiety and other conditions that could lead to suicide.

Rocky Boy Elementary School Principal Josephine Corcoran, said that in recent years there have been some attempts by children, including one 7 years old.

"I'm shocked that children that young are even thinking that life is so hard that they no longer want to be here," Corcoran said.

It's that despair that Kirby and three others from the health clinic, licensed professional clinical counselors Shannon Crossler and Shaunda Wenger and Codi Rosette, a behavioral health receptionist in the department, are hoping to tackle.

The four sat at two tables draped in thin green paper table cloths in the second floor hallway at Rocky Boy Elementary School. Laid out on the table were pamphlets about how those who attempt suicide can take care of themselves and how one can go about taking care of someone who has gone through with an attempt.

Pencils and magnets with the number of the national suicide prevention hotline on them, as well as small bags containing a small booklet with the warning signs of suicide and three pieces of candy, were given to each student.

"We just want them to know that we're available, the clinic is available," Kirby said. "These are people that care."

The four plan to appear each month at the public schools in Rocky Boy and Box Elder. They also want to eventually take their efforts to Stone Child College and the clinic, where they will conduct direct counseling.

Teachers led students in grades K-6 through the halls, answering questions students and staff had.

Kirby and others are using a program from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMSHA, as the basis for their efforts. She said that the materials, and program approach are culturally sensitive to Native Americans,

The program's posters and materials feature images of Native Americans, something that materials for other programs often don't feature, Kirby said. She added that it is easier for people, especially young people, to relate to a program that has as its face someone who looks like them and comes from a similar cultural background.

The back of the shirts Kirby and her staff are wearing also feature the words "Suicide - don't do it" written in the Cree language.

Kirby and Crossler said a combination of factors contribute to the high suicide rates on reservations, including high rates of substance abuse, lack of coping skills, scarce economic opportunity, a shortage of resources to deal with mental health issues and a high rate of physical abuse, neglect and sexual abuse on reservations.

Kirby and her colleagues said they are working to let children and the community know about their efforts. Initially they did community talks, however those were poorly attended and proved ineffective, she said.

So they have decided take another approach. They hope that by reaching out to the reservation's youngest that they can have the most impact.

"So, we are going to go to the root of it, which is the kids and youth," Kirby said. "To start down with outreach to the youth on the reservation."