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SAMHSA News Room
Contact Media Services: (240) 276-2130

SAMHSA News Bulletin

Date: 5/31/2007
Media Contact: SAMHSA Press Office
Telephone: 240-276-2130

South Carolina to Receive Grant Funding for Youth Suicide Prevention, Early Intervention

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) today announced that it anticipates making awards totaling  $1,032,663 over three years to the state of South Carolina to implement Project SAFE (Suicide Awareness for Everyone). The first year award is $349,832.  This suicide prevention program is for youth in schools, colleges, substance abuse systems, mental health programs, foster care systems and other child and youth support organizations. 

Nationwide, someone dies by suicide every 17 minutes. “Suicide is a preventable tragedy for individuals, for families and for communities,” said SAMHSA’s Administrator Terry Cline, Ph.D. “This grant is an important part of the solution to preventing suicide in the state of South Carolina.  Education about suicide risk factors, such as depression and drug abuse, is another part of the solution. So is early intervention, such as our national suicide prevention lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK.  By working with suicide prevention in schools and on athletic fields, in workplaces and places of worship, and at home, we can save thousands of lives.”

The targeted population includes youth ages 10 to 24 in three regions of the state.  These regions all have significantly higher rates of suicide than the national average. Their suicide rates are 7.7, 7.9 and 8.5 per 100,000 youth ages 10-24.  The targeted populations are mainly in rural areas of the state with a higher percentage of African Americans and a higher percentage of Hispanic/Latino individuals than the state average.

SAFE will provide evidenced-based gatekeeper training for personnel in eighty percent of secondary schools in the targeted regions and will also provide gatekeeper training for personnel in institutions of higher education, local offices of public welfare and juvenile justice, pediatricians’ offices, faith-based and community organizations, and to foster and adoptive parents.

SAMHSA is a public health agency within the Department of Health and Human Services. The agency is responsible for improving the accountability, capacity and effectiveness of the nation's substance abuse prevention, addictions treatment, and mental health services delivery system.


Page Last Updated: 5/31/2007