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Carney Hospital Closing
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Carney Hospital is closing on August 31 and will no longer offer emergency department or inpatient hospital services. Find resources for Carney patients, local residents, and Carney employees.
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September is Suicide Prevention Month and National Recovery Month

This month, we share recent news and resources for support around suicide prevention and alcohol and drug addiction recovery.

SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH

Each year, suicide continues to be an increasing leading cause of death in the United States.   Recent numbers have shown a surge in death by suicide overall. According to these new reports, these numbers have not been this proportionally high since as far back as the Great Depression of the 1930’s.   Per the CDC, this amounts to approximately 1 death be suicide every 11 minutes.   It is no surprise that the U.S Surgeon General called mental health "the defining crisis of our time." 

The past several years have been very hard for so many, and it is understandable that this time continues to be reflected in increased struggles with stress and mental health.  For this reason, we feel it is so important to share resources, information, supports, guidance, and education to support people who may be struggling with thoughts of self-harm or suicide as well as their friends and families.  Mental health and suicide are sometimes seen as uncomfortable topics to discuss; leading some to express fear that if they say something, it may trigger another person potentially resulting in their death.  There is no current evidence to support this fear and instead data reflects the opposite.  The best way to lay a foundation for prevention of anything is open communication, connection, and dialogues to decrease isolation, fear, and stigmatization.   Additionally, we seek to help people identify and create a support system that can create safety and stability.  We try to aid in this by providing as many resources to connect people to such supports as possible.

Below is a list of national and local organizations that contain these resources and supports. Links provide education, tips on how best to support someone who could be at risk, as well as information on what to do in a crisis, as well as lists of long-term mental health resources:

Each year, we also choose to include resources for friends and family coping with the loss of someone they love to a deadly suicide attempt.   In managing this pain, many take comfort and strength in reaching out to others, professional and peer alike, for support and understanding.  Listed below are support groups, networks, and other resources to explore:

NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH

We find it essential every year to also highlight national recovery month, to draw attention to the scourge of addiction locally and nationally, but also to draw attention to positive trends and changes in tackling this painful and complicated condition, because there is room for hope.  For the first time in years, as reported here, overdoses overall decreased nationally by three percent, a small but significant number and the first reported decrease since 2018. Drug use among adolescents has continued to remain at lower than pre-pandemic levels as well.

However positive these changes are, they are gradual, and alcohol and drug addiction still devastate families and communities.   Over two thirds of Americans reported in a poll that they are affected by the struggle and destruction of alcohol and drug addiction, whether personally or through witnessing the suffering of a friend or family member.  As we do every year, we wanted to support those seeking recovery and their families by highlighting prominent national and local peer and professional groups and services, as well as other community and educational resources:

As always, please reach out to us at the City of Boston Employee Assistance Program for immediate support and assistance, and be sure to check our resource list. Have a safe and warm September. 

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