OVER THE PAST 25 YEARS, SUICIDE NUMBERS HAVE DOUBLED IN OUR STATE.

AND IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS, SUICIDE HAS REACHED EPIDEMIC LEVELS.

OUR GUESTS WILL HELP US BETTER UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE, THE WARNING SIGNS AND WHERE TO FIND HELP.

THAT'S TEEN SUICIDE ON TONIGHT'S SOUTH DAKOTA FOCUS, AND WE ARE LIVE RIGHT NOW.

>> THIS IS A PRODUCTION OF SOUTH DAKOTA PUBLIC BROADCASTING.

♪ >> HELLO, AND WELCOME TO "SOUTH DAKOTA FOCUS."

I'M STEPHANIE RISSLER.

TONIGHT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TEEN SUICIDE.

SADLY IN SOUTH DAKOTA, THE SUCIDE RATE FOR THOSE UNDER THE AGE OF 24 IS DOUBLE THE RATE OF YOUTH NATIONWIDE.

OUR GUESTS TONIGHT WILL BREAK DOWN THE ISSUE, INCLUDING HOW TO TALK TO SOMEONE YOU FEAR IS CONSIDERING SUICIDE, AND WHERE TO LOOK FOR HELP FOR A FRIEND, LOVED ONE OR YOURSELF.

AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE HOUR, WE WANT TO HEAR YOUR QUESTIONS.

YOU CAN EMAIL OR TEXT THOSE DIRECTLY TO ME.

THE EMAIL ADDRESS IS [email protected], AND OUR PHONE NUMBER TO SEND A TEXT IS 956-7372.

THAT'S 956-SDPB.

NOW LET'S MEET OUR GUESTS.

FIRST UP, JANA SPRENGER, PREVENTION PROGRAM MANAGER WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES DIVISION OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.

ALSO WITH US, SHERI NELSON, SUICIDE PREVENTION DIRECTOR WITH THE SOUTH DAKOTA HELP LINE CENTER.

WENDY GIEBINK, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SOUTH DAKOTA BRANCE OF NAMI, WHICH STANDS FOR NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS.

AND JOINING US FROM OUR BLACK HILLS STUDIO IN RAPID CITY, STEPHAINE SCHWEITZER DIXON, THE EXECUTIVE DIRCTOR OF THE FRONT PORCH COALITION.

WELCOME TO ALL OF YOU.

WE'VE GOT A LOT TO TALK ABOUT SO LET'S GET STARTED.

JANA, I WANT TO START WITH YOU.

YOU JOIN US FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES.

YOU'RE WITH THE DIVISION OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.

TALK TO ME ABOUT YOUR WORK AND THE DEPARTMENT'S WORK ON SUICIDE PREVENTION.

>> YES.

THE DIVISION OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH FALLS UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES AND THE DIVISION BEHAVIORAL HEALTH WORKS WITH THE PUBLIC BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYSTEM, WHICH INCLUDES OUR PREVENTION PROVIDERS.

SO ONE OF OUR PRIORITY AREAS IS SUICIDE PREVENTION AND WE CURRENTLY USE THE GARRETT LEE SMITH GRANT TO FUND OUR SUICIDE PREVENTION ACTIVITIES IN THE STATE.

SO THAT FOCUS IS YOUTH AGES 10 TO 24.

WE FUNDS A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES THROUGH THAT.

WE HAVE MENTAL HEALTH PROMOTION, TRAINING SUCH AS MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID.

WE HAVE OUR FOLLOW-UP PROGRAM THAT'S RUN THROUGH THE HELP LINE THAT PRICE SUPPORTS TO YOUTH AGES 10 TO 24 WHO ARE HOSPITALIZED FOR SUICIDESSAL CRISIS.

WE HAVE A TEXTING PROGRAM IN FIVE QUESTIONS AND LOCAL COALITIONS LIKE THE BE THE ONE CAMPAIGN.

AND WE ALSO WORK WITH LOCAL STATE PARTNERS AND AGENCIES TO PROVIDE PROGRAMMING ACROSS THE STATE.

>> WE'RE GOING TO TOUCH ON A COUPLE OF THOSE THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED INCLUDING BE THE ONE SOUTH DAKOTA CAMPAIGN AND AS WE GO THROUGH THE HOUR, WE'LL OPEN IT UP A ALSO BITS MORE BUT WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT IT IS MISSION BEHIND THIS CAMPAIGN?

>> YEAH, THE BE THE ONE SOUTH DAKOTA CAMPAIGN AIMS TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR SOUTH DAKOTANS ON THE ACTIONS WE CAN ALL TAKE TO PREVENT SUICIDE.

IT EMPHASIZES A POSITIVE MESSAGE THAT YOU CAN BE VIGILANT ON THE SIGNS OF SUICIDE AND HOW TO INTERVENE AND BE THAT ONE TO STEP UP.

>> OKAY, ALL RIGHT, VERY GOOD.

I'M GOING TO MOVE OVER TO WENDY.

>> WENDY, THANK YOU, YOU'VE BEEN ON OUR PROGRAM BEFORE.

IT'S A DIFFICULT TOPIC BUT YOU DID SUCH A GREAT JOB AT HELPING US KIND OF COLLECT OUR THOUGHTS AND UNDERSTAND IT.

SOME OF OUR VIEWERS MAY NOT KNOW WHAT NAMI IS.

EXPLAIN TO US WHAT THAT IS.

>> THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS IS A GRASS-ROOTS ADVOCACY, EDUCATION AND SUPPORT GROUP.

IT'S A NATION-WIDE GROUP.

WE HAVE OUR STATE CHAPTER, WE ALSO HAVE MULTIPLE AFFILIATES ACROSS THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA AND WE DO FOCUS ON BRINGING THAT LIVED EXPERIENCE TO OUR WORK SO THAT PEOPLE WHO EITHER HAVE A MENTAL ILLNESS THEMSELVES OR HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER OR FRIEND CAN KNOW THAT THERE'S EDUCATION FOR THEM, THERE'S SUPPORT AND THEY'RE NOT ALONE.

>> OKAY.

NOW, YOU'RE OUT OF SIOUX FALLS.

>> SIOUX FALLS.

>> THERE IS RAPID CITY OFFICE, AS WELL?

>> YES.

>> OKAY.

>> SO FOR THOSE WATCHING AT HOME, WE'LL HAVE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CAN CONNECT WITH ALL OF OUR GUESTS.

SHERI, THE REPRESENT THE HELP LINE HERE IN SOUTH DAKOTA.

WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT IT FOR MANY YEARS.

BUT TALK TO US AND OUR VIEWERS ABOUT THE SERVICES YOU PROVIDE FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION.

>> YES.

AT THE HELP LINE CENTER, WE DO INTERVENTION, PREVENTION AND POST-VENTION SERVICES.

SO WITH OUR PREVENTION SERVICES, WE DO A LOT OF DIFFERENT COMMUNITY FOR ORGANIZATION FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAININGS AND THROUGH THAT RAISING THAT AWARENESS, HELPING PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND IT'S OKAY TO TALK ABOUT THESE ISSUES.

WE ALSO -- THE HELP LINE CENTER ANSWERS THE NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE, THAT 1-800-272-8555 NUMBER FOR SOUTH DAKOTA.

AND WE HAVE TRAINED CRISIS STAFF AT THE HELP LINE CENTER WHO ANSWER THOSE CALLS 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK SO THERE'S ALWAYS SOMEONE THERE.

AND WE KNOW THAT SINCE 2014, THOSE CALLS HAVE BEEN RISING.

THERE HAVE BEEN AN INCREASE OF 73% IN THOSE CALLS SINCE 2014.

SO WHEN SOMEONE CALLS IN AND THEY ARE IN A SUICIDAL CRISIS, WE HELP THEM.

WE PARTNER WITH THEM TO WORK THROUGH THAT CRISIS.

WE DO A SAFETY PLAN WITH THEM, AND THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME, THAT CALL ENDS WITH THE PERSON BEING ABLE TO WORK ON THEIR SAFETY PLAN.

AND THEN WE FOLLOW UP WITH THEM WITHIN 24 HOURS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE OKAY.

I THINK A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE THINK THAT WHEN SOMEONE CALLS INTO THE HELP LINE CENTER, THAT IF THEY'RE SUICIDAL, THAT WE WILL CALL THE POLICE.

WE FIRST WORK WITH THEM AND ONLY IN A CRISIS SITUATION WHERE THE PERSON CANNOT COMMIT TO BEING SAFE OR WE DON'T FEEL THEY'RE SAFE, THAT'S WHEN WE WOULD INTERVEN WITH THE POLICE.

WE ALSO HAVE SURVIVOR SERVICES, AS WELL, SO WE WORK WITH SURVIVORS AND THAT IS SOMEONE WHO'S LOST A LOVED ONE TO SUICIDE.

>> UH-HUH.

>> SO WE HAVE OUR SURVIVING AFTER SUICIDE GROUPS AND THOSE ARE A MONTHLY GROUP HELD AT THE HELP LINE CENTER.

WE ALSO HAVE OUR SURVIVING AFTER SUICIDE CLASSES, WHICH WE HOLD THREE TIMES A YEAR SO THAT IS A 10-WEEK CLASS WHICH IS HELD EACH WEEK AND WE GET MORE IN-DEPTH TALKING ABOUT THAT UNIQUE SUICIDE GRIEF THAT SOMEONE IS DEALING WITH AND TALKING ABOUT THOSE UNIQUE TYPE OF FEELINGS THAT ARE COMING UP.

AND LETTING THEM KNOW THAT IT'S OKAY TO TALK ABOUT THAT AND THOSE FEELINGS ARE NORMAL.

>> A LOT OF DIFFERENT RESOURCES.

WE'RE GOING TO GO OUT TO RAPID CITY HERE IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.

JUST A REMINDER TO THOSE WATCHING AT HOME, WE ARE LIVE TONIGHT AND IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION, A COMMENTS, YOU WANT TO SHARE A STORY, REACH OUT TO US, YOU CAN EMAIL US AT [email protected].

OR TENDS US A TEXT AT 956-7372.

I WANT TO GO OUT TO RAPID CITY AND VISIT WITH STEPHANIE, SHE'S WITH THE FRONT PORCH COALITION.

STEPHANIE, THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO JOIN US ON "SOUTH DAKOTA FOCUS" AGAIN TONIGHT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> YOU'VE BEEN ON THE PROGRAM BEFORE BUT A LOT OF FOLKS MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH WHAT THE FRONT PORCH COALITION IS.

EXPLAIN THE MISSION BEHIND YOUR ORGANIZATION.

>> WELL, SIMILAR TO NAMI AND -- BUT MORE SPECIFIC TO THE SUPPORT THAT WE PROVIDE, THE AWARENESS, THE ADVOCACY AND THE EDUCATION THAT WE PROVIDE, OUT HERE, WEST RIVER, WE ARE SPECIFIC TO SUICIDE PREVENTION AND SUPPORT TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST SOMEONE TO SUICIDE.

WE STARTED 17, 18 YEARS AGO.

PEOPLE WHO HAD LOST SOMEONE TO SUICIDE, KIND OF FEELING THAT ALONENESS AND NEEDING TO FIND SUPPORT AND WAYS TO START TO PREVENT THIS GROWING CAUSE OF DEATH IN THE COMMUNITY AND SO THEY CAME TOGETHER AS A GRASS ROOTS EFFORT, STARTED THE ORGANIZATION, STARTED TO PROVIDE THE AWARENESS, STARTED TO PROVIDE THE EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND THEN, ACTUALLY HAD ONE OF OUR FOUNDING LOSS TEAM MEMBERS AND LOSS TEAM STANDS FOR LOCAL OUTREACH TO SUICIDE SURVIVORS, WENT DOWN TO WHERE THE ORIGINAL CONCEPT OF THIS LOSS TEAM WAS STARTED AND BROUGHT THIS BACK TO SOUTH DAKOTA.

AND WHAT OUR TEAM DOES IS, AGAIN, SURVIVOR-LED, AS SHERI SAID S SOMEONE WHO LOST SOMEONE TO SUICIDE WHO CAN GO HELP THAT PERSON THROUGH THAT VERY, VERY TRAUMATIC TIME IN THEIR LIFE, THAT VERY WORST DAY IN THEIR LIFE WHEN THEY HAVE LOST SOMEONE TO SUICIDE.

AND HAVING BEEN THROUGH THAT EXPERIENCE, HAVING GONE THROUGH THE GRIEF, BEING ABLE TO HELP THEM GET THROUGH THAT WHEN THEY REALLY THINK THAT THEY CAN'T DO THAT.

THEY CAN'T GET THROUGH THE NEXT HOUR, MINUTE, DAY OF THEIR LIFE, AND MOVE FORWARD.

AND THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE OUT THERE AS YOU'VE MENTIONED THIS GROWING EPIDEMIC OF SUICIDE, NOT JUSTINE SUICIDE BUT SUICIDE, IS AFFECTING SO MANY PEOPLE THAT WE PROVIDE THAT SERVICE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT TO RESPOND IMMEDIATELY WHEN THAT DEATH HAS HAPPENED SO THAT PEOPLE DON'T GO SO LONG WITHOUT GETTING HELP, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, AS WE TALK MORE THIS EVENING THAT SO MUCH OF THAT HAS HAPPENED, THAT PEOPLE HAVE GONE SO LONG WITHOUT GETTING HELP FOR VARIOUS THINGS THAT THAT'S CONTRIBUTING TO SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE SEEING.

SO THAT IS ONE OF THE THING THE PRIMARY ORGANIZATION DOES, AND SIMILAR TO WHAT SHERI SAID, WE DO PROVIDE SUPPORT GROUPS.

WE HAVE SIMILAR TO WHAT SHE MENTIONED, SUPPORT GROUPS FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST SOMEONE TO SUICIDE IN A CLASS-TYPE FORMAT AND IN A MONTHLY FORMAT SO THAT'S WHAT'S CONDUCIVE FOR PEOPLE AND WORKS WITH THEIR SCHEDULE IS AVAILABLE.

AND THE TRAINING AND EDUCATION THAT JANA MENTIONED, WE ALSO OFFER THOSE EDUCATION PROGRAMS TO THE COMMUNITY.

>> STEPHANIE, I WANT TO BREAK DOWN SOME THINGS.

WE'RE GOING TO TALK IN MORE DETAIL WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN TERMS OF AN INCREASE IN SUICIDE IN OUR STATE AND NATIONALLY, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO LOCATIONS, BEING OUT IN RAPID CITY, ARE YOU SEEING CERTAIN POCKETS WHERE IT'S WORSE THAN OTHERS?

WE'RE SEEING MORE OF A CHALLENGE IN OUR URBAN VERSUS RURAL OR DOES THAT NOT MATTER?

>> UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK IT'S HAPPENING EVERYWHERE BUT WE SERVE THE BLACK HILLS, THOSE COUNTIES IN THE BLACK HILLS.

WE'RE SEEING AN INCREASE ON THE RESERVATIONS.

WE'RE SEEING ABOUT AS MUCH OF AN INCREASE HERE IN PENNINGTON COUNTY AND IN OUR SURROUNDING COUNTIES AS WE'RE SEEING ANYWHERE ELSE, SO URBAN VERSUS RURAL.

I THINK IT'S JUST AS MUCH IN BOTH AREAS.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE RATE, YOU KNOW, PER CAPITA-WISE, RURAL VERSUS URBAN, YES, YOU SEE SOME COUNTIES THAT ARE MORE SO THAN OTHERS.

YES, WE SEE SOME RESERVATIONS THAT ARE HIGHER BUT, I MEAN, THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER, BUT IN GENERAL, RURAL VERSUS URBAN, AT LEAST WEST RIVER OUR PER CAPITA RATE IS HIGHER.

>> BRING IT BACK HERE TO THE VERMILLION STUDIO.

DOES GENDER -- ARE WE SEEING A DIFFERENCE IN GENDER, MORE BOYS VERSUS GIRLS OR VICE VERSA?

>> THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE SAME WHEREVER YOU GO, YES.

WE ARE SEEING -- WELL, ACTUALLY, WE ARE SEEING MORE MALES THAT DIE BY SUICIDE, MORE FEMALES TEND TO ATTEMPT AND DON'T DIE.

WE, WITH OUR TEAM, WE -- WHEN I SAY "WE," I MEANING PENNINGTON COUNTY, OUR TEAM RESPONDED ACTUALLY TO ABOUT A MIX IN TEEN GIRLS WHO DIED BY SUICIDE, ABOUT IT IS SAME NUMBER OF TEEN GIRLS AS WE DID TEEN MALES.

THAT'S UNUSUAL.

USUALLY, YOU SEE MORE BOYS, MALES, DOESN'T MATTER THE AGE, WHO DIE BY SUICIDE AND IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF GIRLS, SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN I SAY MORE MALES DIE BY SUICIDE THAN FEMALES, IN OUR YOUNGER GENERATION, OUR TEENS, WE'RE SEEING AN INCREASE IN GIRLS SO BE VERY AWARE -- YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU'LL HEAR SOMEBODY SAY, WELL, SHE'S JUST DOING THAT TO GET ATTENTION, SHE'S JUST DOING THAT TO BE DRAMATIC, SHE JUST HAS DIFFICULTIES.

SHE MAY BE VERY, VERY SERIOUS.

>> STAND BY, STEPHANIE, EAR WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK HERE TO THE STUDIO AND THEN I'LL COME BACK OUT TO RAPID CITY WITH SOME ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.

WENDY, I WANT TO COME TO YOU AND TALK ABOUT WHAT WE ARE SEEING.

I WAS LOOKING AT SOME OF THE STATISTICS AND ON A NATIONAL LEVEL, SUICIDE IS THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH FOR THOSE 10 TO 24 COMPARED TO ACCIDENTS.

WHERE DO WE STAND IN SOUTH DAKOTA?

>> WE'RE RIGHT IN THERE.

IT'S ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME HERE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT NOT VERY MANY PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF IS THAT 50% OF MENTAL ILLNESS BEGINS BY AGE 14 AND 75% BY AGE 24.

SO IT'S NOT THAT SURPRISING THAT WE SEE THOSE FIGURES HERE IN SOUTH DAKOTA, TOO, BECAUSE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS AT A YOUNG AGE AND PERHAPS MAYBE NOT GETTING THE TREATMENT THAT THEY NEED, AND SO SOMETIMES SUICIDE IS THE TRAGIC RESULT.

>> SO ARE WE AT A CRISIS LEVEL, AN EPIDEMIC IN SOUTH DAKOTA WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TEEN SUICIDE?

>> ONE IS TOO MANY.

THAT'S THE WAY WE LOOK AT IT.

AND CERTAINLY THESE NUMBERS HAVE TO INDICATE A CRISIS FOR US, HAVE TO INDICATE A NEED FOR ACTION AND A NEED FOR REAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE ISSUES SO THAT WE CAN START TO BRING THOSE NUMBERS DOWN BECAUSE, AGAIN, FOR A FAMILY THAT HAS SURVIVED THAT LOSS, ONE IS JUST FAR TOO MANY.

>> RIGHT.

SHERI, STEPHANIE HAD MENTIONED THE INCREASE THEY'RE SEEING OUT WEST RIVER.

WHAT ARE WE SEEING THAT YOU KNOW OF EAST RIVER?

ARE WE ALSO SEEING AN INCREASE ON A GENERAL BASIS ACROSS OUR STATE ON THIS SIDE?

>> YES, WE ARE.

I THINK NATIONALLY AND SOUTH DAKOTA, WE ARE OVERALL SEEING THAT INCREASE IN THE RATES OF SUICIDE GOING UP.

WE ARE ALSO SEEING, AGAIN, I THINK AT A YOUNGER AND YOUNGER AGE, PEOPLE DYING BY SUICIDE AND SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO GET THAT AWARENESS OUT THERE AND TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND TALK ABOUT SUICIDE.

>> JAN A I WANT TO COME TO YOU, WE TALKED ABOUT THE BE THE ONE CAMPAIGN AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE SOME SAMPLES OF THAT HERE IN A LITTLE BIT BUT WHAT MORE CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN AND WHAT DID YOU USE TO PUT THE MISSION FORWARD WITH THIS CAMPAIGN SO YOU WOULD KNOW WHO TO TARGET?

>> YEAH, SO AS WENDY MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, SUICIDES IS THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH AMONG OUR YOUTH IN SOUTH DAKOTA.

IN ADDITION, THE 2015 YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEY FOR SOUTH DAKOTA INDICATED THAT ONE IN SIX HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS HAVE HAD SUICIDAL THOUGHTS OR TENDENCIES, SO THAT INFORMATION WAS USED AND WE JUST REALLY WANTED A VEHICLE TO PROVIDE THE INFORMATION OF THE WARNING SIGNS OF SUICIDES, HOW TO HELP SOMEBODY THAT WAS STRUGGLING AND ALSO HOW TO HELP YOURSELF.

BUT BE THE ONE SOUTH DAKOTA CAMPAIGN IS ACTUALLY A SPIN-OFF OF THE NATIONAL BE THE ONE CAMPAIGN BY THE NATIONAL SUICIDES PREVENTION LIFELINE.

WE UTILIZE A YOUTH FOCUS GROUP THAT GAVE US FEEDBACK TO ALL THE MATERIALS TO MAKE SURE THEY WOULD BE WELL RECEIVED AND WE ALSO USED LOCAL SOUTH DAKOTA YOUTH IN THOSE CAMPAIGN MATERIALS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SHOW LATER.

>> RIGHT, OKAY.

YOU HAD MENTIONED THE YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEY, SO, WENDY, I WANT TO COME TO YOU.

THIS WAS DONE BY THE DEPARTMENTS OF HEALTH, RIGHT, THE HEALTH SURVEY?

>> YEAH, COUPLED WITH THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL, THE CDC >> IS THAT SOMETHING THAT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE NAMI AND THE HELP LINE CENTER, CAN YOU USE INFORMATION FROM THAT HEALTH RISK SURVEY TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE THINGS ARE RIGHT NOW?

>> YEAH.

CERTAINLY THAT TYPE OF DATA DOES HELP US UNDERSTAND AND MAYBE CHANGE OUR FOCUS A LITTLE BIT.

IT HAS -- I BELIEVE IN SOUTH DAKOTA, AS WE START TO LOOK AT THE -- I MENTIONED THAT EVEN THE YOUNGER CHILDREN, CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 10, ATTEMPTING SUICIDE IS VERY FLIGHTENING AND ALARMING AND SO IN SOUTH DAKOTA, WITH OUR NAMI ORGANIZATION, WE STARTED LOOKING AT HOW CAN WE PARTNER WITH OTHER AGENCIES AND LIKE THE BE THE ONE PROGRAM, HOW CAN WE ALSO BE HELPFUL TO PARENTS AND TEACHERS AND STUDENTS AND JUST, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING THAT EDUCATION AND THAT SUPPORT SO THAT WE CAN ALL BE PART OF THAT EFFORT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

>> SHERI, I'M JUST WONDERING, WHAT THE SURVEY, ARE YOU FOLKS ABLE TO TAKE THAT INFORMATION WHEN YOU PUT TOGETHER YOUR SUICIDE PREVENTION MATERIALS, BECAUSE I LOOK AT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE AND IT'S TARGETED AT OUR YOUTH TO HELP THEM KNOW WHERE TO LOOK FOR HELP.

>> YES, ABSOLUTELY.

WE DO USE THAT DATA TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AND FAMILY MEMBERS AND SO WE USE THAT ALSO TO HELP TO BREAK THROUGH THAT SIGMA, AND FOR PEOPLE TO, YOU KNOW, LEARN TO DEVELOP SKILLS IN DETECTING THOSE WARNING SIGNS WITH YOUTH.

>> TEXTING IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST WAYS TODAY'S YOUTHS COMMUNICATE.

AND THERE IS A WAY THAT YOU FOLKS HAVE CREATED A RESOURCE, A TOOL FOR THEM.

TALK TO ME ABOUT THAT.

>> YES.

WE HAVE OUR TEXT FOR HELP PROGRAM AND WHAT THAT IS, WE ARE IN 50 DIFFERENT HIGH SCHOOLS ACROSS SOUTH DAKOTA.

SO I DID BRING SOME OF THE MATERIALS.

SO STUDENTS WOULD RATHER TEXT, SO WE'RE TRYING TO REACH THEM WHERE THEY'RE AT, WHERE THEY CAN TEXT "I CARE" TO 8282911 WOULD BE THAT SCHOOL AND THEN WE WOULD ASK WHAT SCHOOL ARE YOU FROM AND SO IT'S A WAY FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT ISSUES THAT ARE GOING ON WITH THEM.

THEY CAN TEXT US AND BE IN CRISIS AND WE CAN HELP THEM THROUGH TEXTING AND WORK ON THINGS.

WE FIND THAT PEOPLE TEXT IN BECAUSE OF RELATIONSHIP ISSUES.

I JUST BROKE UP WITH MY GIRLFRIEND OR BOYFRIEND AND OF COURSE WE GET THE SUICIDAL TEXTS, AS WELL.

>> SO WHEN IT COMES TO SOCIAL MEDIA, HOW MUCH HAS SOCIAL MEDIA PLAYED A ROLE IN WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN TERMS OF TEENS AND SUICIDE?

>> THERE'S CERTAINLY STARTING TO BE SOME RESEARCH, CERTAINLY NOT LONGITUDINAL STUDIES BUT STARTING TO SHOW UP IN KIDS USING PHONES AND USING SOCIAL MEDIA AND SPENDING SO MUCH TIME INTERACTING WITH PEERS ON THEIR PHONES RATHER THAN FACE TO FACE AND WE KNOW THAT WHEN YOU'RE NOT TALKING TO SOMEONE FACE TO FACE, IT'S EASIER TO BE BOLD IN HOW YOU CRITICIZE THEM OR THE THINGS THAT YOU SAY, OR EVEN THE THINGS THAT YOU REVEAL ABOUT YOUR OWN SELF AND STUDENTS ARE SENDING PICTURES AND TEXTS ABOUT THEMSELVES THAT WILL MAKE THEM VULNERABLE AND WE KNOW THOSE ARE DANGEROUS TRENDS IN OUR SOCIETY.

>> IT'S A DIFFICULT TIME, A LOTS TO SWIM THROUGH FOR THESE YOUTHS.

>> TEXT4HELP IS ANOTHER RESOURCE TODAY'S TEENS CAN USE TO REACH OUT FOR HELP.

IT CAN CONNECT A TEENAGER DIRECTLY WITH SOMEONE THAT CAN LISTEN, OFFER GUIDANCE OR MORE.

HERE ARE THE DETAILS THIS PROGRAM OFFERED THROUGH THE HELPLINE CENTER.

♪ >> TEXT4HELP, HERE FOR YOU WHEN YOU NEED TO TALK.

TEXT WHEN YOU NEED HELP.

TEXT WHEN YOU FEEL ANGRY.

SAD.

ALONE.

ANXIOUS.

FRUSTRATED.

TEXT WHEN YOU NEED TO TALK.

♪ >> TEXT WHEN YOU NEED TO TALK ABOUT... ♪ >> TEXT WHEN YOU NEED TO TALK ABOUT... ♪ >> TEXT WHEN YOU NEED TO TALK ABOUT... ♪ TEXT FOR HELP.

TEXT "I CARE".

WE'RE HERE FOR SOUTH DAKOTA TEENS WHEN YOU NEED TO TALK.

♪ >> SHERI, CAN TEENS TEXT THAT FROM ANYWHERE IN OUR STATE OR JUST THE SIOUX FALLS AREA?

OR ANYWHERE?

>> THAT IS ACTUALLY IN THE SPECIFIC SCHOOLS THAT WE HAVE A PART OF THE TEXT4HELP PROGRAM, BUT ANYONE IN A 2-1-1 COMMUNITY CAN TEXT IN AND, YOU KNOW, REACH US, AS WELL.

SO WE ARE AVAILABLE 24/7 >> AND THERE IS ALSO A NATIONAL CRISIS TEXT LINE, AS WELL, CORRECT?

>> YES, YES.

>> AND WE HAVE THAT, WE'LL SHOW THAT THROUGHOUT THE AREA.

>> A QUESTION CAME IN FROM FAITH, SOUTH DAKOTA.

JAN A WE'LL THROW IT TO YOU AND SEE HOW THIS GOES.

IS IT POSSIBLE THAT SOME OR SEVERAL OF THE OPIOID DEATHS ARE ACTUALLY SUICIDES?

>> WE KNOW THAT THERE IS A CORRELATION BETWEEN OPIOID USE AND SUICIDE.

IT'S DEFINITELY ON OUR RADAR AND SOMETHING WE'LL CONTINUES TO MONITOR.

>> OKAY.

SO FOR ANYBODY ELSE THAT'S WATCHING TONIGHT, IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENTS, FEEL FREE TO SEND THOSE TO US.

WE HAVE THE NUMBER AND THE EMAIL ADDRESS ON THE SCREEN AS WE WORK THROUGHOUT THE HOUR HERE.

>> WENDY, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT ANTI-DEPRESSANT MEDICATIONS.

SINCE WE HAD SOMEBODY THAT SENT US A MESSAGE ABOUT SOME MEDICATIONS, IT CAN HELP REDUCE DEPRESSION AND SUICIDESSAL SYMPTOMS.

IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOUNG ADULTS, PARENTS, SHOULD VISIT WITH THEIR DOCTORS ABOUT OR ARE THERE SOME QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE ASKED IF THEY DECIDE TO GO DOWN THIS PATH?

>> I THINK ABSOLUTELY WHENEVER YOU ARE NOTICING SYMPTOMS THAT CONCERN YOU, WITH YOUR CHILD, YOU WANT TO FIRST START WITH THEIR DOCTOR, MAKE SURE THAT THERE ISN'T SOMETHING ELSE CAUSING WHAT YOU'RE SEEING.

IF YOUR PEDIATRICIAN IS CONCERNED, THEY'LL PROBABLY REFER YOU TO SOMEONE WHO SPECIALIZES IN CHILD MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS.

MEDICATIONS ARE SOMETIMES PRESCRIBED FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH BUT NOT ALWAYS.

IT'S AN INDIVIDUAL CASE BECAUSE EVERY CHILD'S BRAIN WORKS DIFFERENTLY, AND JUST LIKE EVERY ADULT, SO IF YOUR DOCTOR DOES PRESCRIBE OR YOUR CHILD PSYCHIATRIST DOES PRESCRIBE MEDICATION, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE GIVING THAT EXACTLY AS PRESCRIBED AND THAT YOU'RE MONITORING FOR ANY SORT OF SIDE EFFECTS, ANY CHANGE IN SYMPTOMS, THINGS LIKE THAT, MAKING SURE YOU'RE KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH THAT MEDICAL PROVIDER AND LETTING THEM KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SEEING AT HOME, WITH THE MEDICATION USE, MEDICATIONS CAN BE VERY, VERY HELPFUL FOR SOME KIDS.

FOR OTHER KIDS, ANTI-DEPRESSANTS, MOST OF THEM CARRY A BLACK BOX WARNING FOR SUICIDE RISK FOR SOME YOUTH SO THAT'S SOMETHING TO BE AWARE OF, ALSO.

THESE ARE POWERFUL MEDICATIONS AND IF YOUR CHILD IS PRESCRIBED THEM, THEN THE PHYSICIAN HAS CAREFULLY WEIGHED THE RISK VERSUS BENEFITS FOR YOUR CHILD AND IT'S JUST AN INDIVIDUAL THING FOR EACH CHILD.

>> IN A FEW MINUTES, I'LL GO BACK OUT AND VISIT WITH STEPHANIE IN MATERIALS OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND HOW IT CORRELATES WITH SUICIDE.

BEFORE I DO, SINCE WE'RE ON THE TOPIC OF DEPRESSION.

JAN A I WANT TO COME TO YOU, YOU KNOW A LOT OF FOLKS WILL STRUGGLE WITH DEPRESSION REGARDLESS OF AGE.

IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE GOING TO DIE BY SUICIDE BUT IT CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF IT.

ARE THERE WARNING SIGNS YOU CAN LOOK FOR IN SOMEONE?

>> JUST AS YOU SAID, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTES THAT SOMEBODY MAY THINK ABOUT SUICIDE AND NOT EXPERIENCE SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION, JUST LIKE THOSE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING DEPRESSION DON'T LESS KNEE HAVE THOUGHTS OF SUICIDE.

THERE ARE MANY FORAGES OF DEPRESSION, PSYCHOLOGICAL, BEHAVIORAL SYMPTOMS, LOTS OF FATIGUE, CRYING SPELLS, WITHDRAWAL FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS, LACK OF MOTIVATION, USE OF SUBSTANCES AND THEN THERE'S SPECIFIC WARNING SIGNS TO SUICIDE.

SOMEBODY THINKING ABOUT SUICIDE COULD THREATEN TO HURT OR KILL THEMSELVES, TALKING TO NOT WANTING TO BE ALIVE, FEELING TRAPPED, INCREASING SUBSTANCE USE, THAT FURTHER WITHDRAWAL FROM ACTIVITIES OR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND APPEARING AGITATED OR HAVING A CHANGE IN MOOD SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THEY ARE TWO STILL DIFFERENT THINGS WHILE SUICIDE CAN BE A SYMPTOM OF DEPRESSION JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE FEELING DEPRESSED, DOESN'T MEAN NECESSARILY YOU'LL HAVE THOUGHTS OF SUICIDE.

>> OKAY, OKAY.

STEPHANIE I WANT TO COME OUT TO YOU IN RAPID CITY.

WE HAD A TKWHAE CAME IN EARLIER ABOUT OPIOID AND ITS RELATION TO SUICIDE.

I WANT TO ASK YOU IN MORE DETAIL ABOUT SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND HOW OFTEN WE SEE SUBSTANCE ABUSE RELATED TO OUR TEENAGERS TODAY THAT ARE CONSIDERING SUICIDE.

>> TEENAGERS SPECIFICALLY.

WE ARE SEEING THAT SUBSTANCE ABUSE, SUBSTANCE MISUSE IS HIGHLY CORRELATED WITH SUICIDE.

IT IS INCREASING SIGNIFICANTLY.

TEENS TODAY ARE USING ALCOHOL AND MARIJUANA AS IF IT'S A LEGAL DRUG TO THEM.

MANY PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO USE METH AS IF IT'S ALCOHOL.

IT'S SURPRISING THAT THIS IS -- SEEMS TO BE OKAY TO PEOPLE, TEENAGERS AND ADULTS, AND IT'S VERY CONCERNING BECAUSE WELL OVER 90% OF PEOPLE WHO DIE BY SUICIDE HAVE A MENTAL ILLNESS FOR A SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROBLEM.

AND TEN YEARS AGO, ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF THE PEOPLE WHO DIED BY SUICIDE, PENNINGTON COUNTY AND NEARBY AREAS, WHEN OUR LOSS TEAM RESPONDED, WE LEARNED THAT MAYBE SOME OF THE TIME OF DEATH OR IT WAS A COMPOUNDING FACTOR, THEY HAD ALCOHOL, ALCOHOL-RELATED OR ALCOHOLISM THAT THEY STRUGGLED WITH.

ABOUT FIVE YEARS, IT WAS ALCOHOLISM AND MARIJUANA.

AND ABOUT FOUR, FIVE YEARS TAKING, IT WAS MARIJUANA, ALCOHOL, AND METH.

SO YOU STARTED TO SEE PEOPLE ADD MORE DRUGS INTO THEIR USE AND MISUSE.

NOW, LAST YEAR WE SAW IT JUST START TO BE ALCOHOL AND/OR MARIJUANA, METH AND OPIOIDS.

AND WE'VE HAD TEENAGERS THAT HAVE BEEN ALMOST OVERDOSING AND DYING, THEY HAVE NOT OH DIED BUT OVERDOSED AND DIED FROM OPIOIDS.

SO IT IS -- AND YOU -- UNLESS YOU ASK SOMEBODY, YOU'RE NEVER REALLY GOING TO KNOW IF THEY WANTED TO DIE, IF THEY WANTED TO ENDS THEIR LIFE, IF THEY REALLY JUST DIDN'T CARE OR IF THIS WAS -- THAT'S OKAY, THIS IS WHAT WE DO, THIS IS HOW I LIVE.

AN THERE ARE SOME TEENS, JUST LIKE ADULTS, THIS IS HOW I DO THIS.

SO IT'S A HUGE, HUGE PROBLEM.

>> STEPHANIE, I WANT YOU TO TALK ABOUT SOME TRIGGERING FACTORS IN A YOUNG PERSON'S LIFE THAT MIGHT PUSH THEM TO CONSIDER THIS, WHETHER IT'S -- IF THEY'RE GETTING BULLIED IN SCHOOL, SOME SOCIAL MEDIA STUFF THEY'RE DEALING WITH.

ARE THERE CERTAIN TRIGGERS THAT MAYBE A LOVED ONE SHOULD OR COULD RECOGNIZE THAT'S PUSHING A YOUNG PERSON TO HAVE THESE THOUGHTS.

SUICIDE IS NEVER THE RESULTS OF JUST ONE THING HAVE THE AGAIN, REMEMBERING THAT WELL OVER 90% OF PEOPLE WHO DIE HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS THAT THEY'RE STRUGGLING WITH OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDERS BUT, YES, THERE ARE THESE TRIGGERING FACTORS.

IT'S NOT JUST ONE, IT'S MORE THAN ONE.

SO IT'S INCREASED USE, MISUSE OF DRUGS, ALCOHOL.

IT'S POSSIBLY BULLYING.

BULLYING DOESN'T CAUSE SUICIDE BUT IT CAN BE A COMPOUNDING, TRIGGERING FACTOR.

IT CAN BE, YOU KNOW, THE RELATIONSHIP PROBLEM, BREAK-UP.

IT CAN BE THE STRESSORS THAT THEY'RE FEELING BECAUSE OF WHATEVER FAMILY MATTERS THAT ARE GOING ON.

IT CAN BE FINANCIAL PROBLEMS.

IT CAN BE -- IT CAN BE WHATEVER INTERNAL CRISIS THEY HAVE GOING ON.

IT CAN BE EXTERNAL CRISIS.

IT CAN BE -- YES, IT'S OFTEN THE BULLYING, THE SOCIAL MEDIA, LOOKING FOR THOSE SIGNS ON THE SOCIAL MEDIA OR THE TEXTING THAT SOMEBODY SAYS SOMETHING TO SOMEONE THAT, AGAIN, SOMEBODY JUST THINKS THAT'S WHAT TEENAGERS DO.

BUT WHEN SOMEONE IS STRUGGLING WITH DEPRESSION OR ANXIETY THEY HAVE ANXIETY, THEY DIFFER IN HOW THEY HANDLE IT OR COPE WITH IT.

WHEN YOU SEE SOMEBODY THAT'S WITHDRAWING, DOESN'T COME TO SCHOOL THE NEXT DAY OR NEXT TWO DAYS AFTER A BREAK-UP OR BEING BULLIED OR NOT BEING INCLUDED ON THE TEAM OR NOT BEING INCLUDED IN CAFETERIA OR EVERYBODY'S LAUGHING AT THEM OR SOME OF THOSE SIMILAR TYPES OF FACTORS, THEY DON'T COME TO SCHOOL.

THEY MISS GAMES, THEY MISS WHAT THEY USED TO LOVE TO DO, EVEN IF THEY DON'T GO TO CHURCH ACTIVITIES ANYMORE AND THEY USUALLY DO THAT KIND OF THING.

THEN IT'S TIME TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON AND SEE WHAT'S DOING ON BECAUSE WHAT MAY BE A TRIGGERING EVENT TO SOMEONE MAY NOT BE TO SOMEBODY ELSE AND IT COULD BE A BIG DEAL.

SO WE REALLY WATCH OUT FOR A CHANGE.

IF SOMEBODY EXPERIENCES A LOSS, LIKE A DEATH.

A LOSS AS IN LOSING A JOB, LOSING A FRIENDS, LOSING A RELATIONSHIP, ANY TYPE OF MAJOR CHANGE TO THEM AND THINGS THAT ARE DIFFERENT, THINGS ARE OUT OF AS YOU KNOW THEM TO BE.

AND ONE THICK WE DO NOT DO IN THIS SOCIETY, URBAN, RURAL, DOESN'T MATTER, WE DON'T TALK TO PEOPLE AND WE DON'T ASK THEM WHAT IS GOING ON.

WE JUST SENDS A MESSAGE, ARE YOU OKAY, WHAT'S GOING ON?

AND PEOPLE WILL JUST SLOUGH IT OFF AND THEY CAN EVEN SAY THEY'RE FINE WITH THE BIGGEST SMILEY FACE AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE FINE WITH THE BIGGEST SMILEY FACE.

YOU WON'T KNOW UNTIL YOU ACTUALLY TALK TO THEM.

>> THANK YOU, STEPHANIE.

I WANT TO BRING IT BACK HERE TO VERMILLION.

WENDY, I WANT TO COME BACK TO YOU.

WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH COMPONENT OF ALL OF THIS AND AS STEPHANIE WAS TALKING, I KEPT THINKING ABOUT IT BEING A TABOO ISSUE.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT STILL IS TALKED ABOUT.

WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO CHANGE THAT?

>> I THINK THERE'S PROBABILITY A FEW FACTORS AT PLAY.

AS PARENT, WE DON'T WANT TO THINK SOMETHING IS SERIOUSLY WRONG WITH OUR CHILD.

SUICIDE WOULD BE SUCH A HORRIBLE THING TO EVEN THINK ABOUT, TO EVEN CONSIDER, TO CONTEMPLATE IN OUR FAMILIES THAT WE MIGHT EVEN AVOID ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS OR TALKING TO OUR KIDS AND IT'S JUST EASIER TO THINK THEY'RE GOING THROUGH A PHASE OR GOING TO BE OKAY.

I BROKE UP WITH MY BOYFRIENDS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND I MADE IT THROUGH SO THEY'LL BE FINE.

SOMETIMES IT'S JUST THAT FEAR FACTOR THAT WE HAVE.

WE DON'T EVEN WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH ALMOST.

AND THE OTHER PART IS THAT IT IS STILL STIGMATIZED TO SOME EXTENT.

FAMILIES SOMETIMES FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE TO HIDE THAT.

THAT'S SOMETHING YOU WOULDN'T HAVE IF YOUR CHILD CHILD HAD ANOTHER PHYSICAL CONDITION.

PEOPLE WOULD SEND SYMPATHY CARDS AND BE ASKING YOU HOW YOUR CHILD IS DOING AND YOU WOULD BE POSTING IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND YOU WOULD BE POSTING UPDATES AND WELCOMING THOSE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT YOUR CHILD'S MEDICAL CONDITIONS THAT YOU DON'T WITH A MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION BECAUSE THOSE SYMPTOMS ARE SO OFTEN BEHAVIORAL AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE THINK THAT IT'S THE FAMILY TO BLAME OR THE CHILD TO BLAME, THAT THERE'S SOME SORT OF A CHARACTER DEFECT OR A WEAKNESS AND THAT'S JUST NOT THE CASE.

THESE ARE PHYSICAL ILLNESSES, PHYSICAL MANIFESTATIONS OF -- OF VERY COMMON PROBLEMS, VERY COMMON, YOU KNOW, ONE IN FIVE YOUNG PEOPLE IS GOING TO HAVE MENTAL HEALTH SYMPTOMS BUT IF WE'RE IGNORING THOSE OR AFRAID TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS, AFRAID TO TALK TO OUR KIDS, WE'RE GOING TO MISS THOSE THINGS.

SO WE SUGGEST PEOPLE EVEN IF IT'S HARD TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS TO BRING IT UP, IT'S IMPORTANT TO DO THAT, JUST LIKE IT'S IMPORTANT TO TALK TO YOUR CHILD ABOUT USING DRUGS OR ALCOHOL OR SMOKING OR, YOU KNOW, DRIVING OR IMPAIRED OR, YOU KNOW, WEARING A SEAT BELT.

YOU HAVE TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT THEIR MENTAL HEALTH, AS WELL.

I WANT TO COME BACK TO THE STIGMA THAT IS MENTAL HEALTH.

WE DON'T LOOK AT THAT AND WE NEED TO START DRAWING THE PARALLEL THAT THEY ARE ONE AND THE SAME.

WE EXERCISE OURSELVES TO KEEP OURSELVES HEALTHY, WE HAVE TO DO THE SAME WITH OUR MENTAL HEALTH.

AND THAT WAS ANOTHER BIG PUSH BEHIND THE BE THE ONE SOUTH DAKOTA CAMPAIGN TO NORMALIZE IT'S OKAY TO FEEL THIS WAY AND TO SEEK HELP, AND TO NORMALIZE SEEKING HELP AND GETTING HELP BECAUSE TOO OFTEN THERE IS THAT STIGMA KEEPING PEOPLE FROM REACHING OUT AND WANTING HELP OR WANTING TO SAY THOSE THINGS TO SOMEBODY.

>> I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP.

>> THE "BE THE ONE" SOUTH DAKOTA CAMPAIGN HAS USED A VAREITY OF TOOLS TO REACH TODAY'S YOUTH, INCLUDING A NUMBER OF VIDEOS AND PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCMENTS THAT COULD HELP ANYONE WATCHING KNOW EXACLTY HOW THEY CAN BE THE ONE.

HERE IS A LOOK AT A FEW OF THE CAMPAIGN VIDEOS.

>> DO YOU WANT ME TO REPEAT THAT QUESTION?

[Laughter] >> SO WHO'S THE WILD ONE?

AND WHAT ABOUT THE BRAINY ONE?

AND WHO'S THE SHY ONE?

[Laughter] WHAT ABOUT WHO'S THE ATHLETIC ONE?

WHO'S MOST LIKELY TO BECOME A VIDEO GAME PROGRAMMER?

[Laughter] WHO WOULD BE THE ONE TO SPEAK UP IF THEY THOUGHT SOMEONE THEY KNEW WAS CONTEMPLATING SUICIDE?

REALLY?

>> OF COURSE.

>> DEFINITELY.

>> GO AHEAD, LABEL YOURSELF.

BE THE ONE TO REACH OUT TO A TROUBLED STUDENT.

VISIT BE THE ONE SD.COM FOR SIGNS OF CRISIS OR DEPRESSION.

THEN BE THE ONE TO SHOW YOU CARE.

>> ALWAYS SAW HER IN THE HALLWAY BUT SHE NEVER TALKED MUCH.

I JUST FIGURED SHE WAS SHY.

ONE DAY AT LUNCH, I WAS SITTING AT MY REGULAR TABLE AND I SAW HER, ALL BY HERSELF.

I WAS PRETTY POPULAR.

MY OLDER SISTER WAS ALWAYS LIKED BY THE TEACHERS SO EVERYONE KNEW MY NAME.

THAT'S WHY IT WAS SO WEIRD WHEN THIS GIRL WHO I NEVER TALKED TO BEFORE JUST WALKED UP TO ME, OUT OF NOWHERE, ASKED IF I COULD TALK TO HER.

SO WE TALKED, ACTUALLY, I TALKED AND SHE JUST SAT AND LISTENED.

AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME, I FELT LIKE SOMEONE ACTUALLY SAW ME, FOR ME.

LATER, SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE HAD NOTICED THAT SOMETHING HAD SEEMED OFF WITH ME THAT DAY.

EVEN FROM AN OUTSIDER'S PERSPECTIVE.

AND SHE DECIDED SHE WOULD BE THE ONE TO REACH OUT, JUST IN CASE.

SHE DIDN'T KNOW THAT I WAS SERIOUSLY PLANNING ON TAKING MY LIFE THAT NIGHT.

BUT BECAUSE SHE DECIDED TO BE THE ONE TO CARE, TO ASK THAT ONE QUESTION, CAN I TALK TO YOU FOR A MINUTE, THAT'S WHY I'M STILL HERE.

>> HE WASN'T MY FRIEND.

HE WASN'T ON MY SPORTS TEAM, HE WASN'T IN ANY OF MY CLASSES.

HE WASN'T EVEN IN MY GRADE.

HE WAS THE ONE.

WHEN I NEEDED SOMEONE THE MOST, HE WAS THE ONE WHO ASKED IF I WAS OKAY.

BECAUSE HE CARED ENOUGH TO ASK, I'M OKAY AND I'M STILL HERE.

>> IN SOUTH DAKOTA, NEARLY ONE IN SIX HIGH SCHOOL OPPORTUNITIES HAD SUICIDAL THOUGHTS OR TENDENCIES.

VISIT BETHE1 SD.COM FOR SIGNS OF CRISIS OR DEPRESSION AND BE THE ONE TO SHOW YOU CARE.

>> AND THAT'S A LOOK AT SOME OF THE WORK GOING ON IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS TO HELP OUR STUDENTS KNOW THEY CAN BE THE ONE TO HELP ONE OF THEIR PEERS.

WENDY, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH NAMI IS DOING.

WHAT'S BEEN DONE SO FAR?

>> WE STARTED A PROGRAM IN SEPTEMBER OF 2017 CALLED ENDING THE SILENCE AND THAT'S A NATIONAL PROGRAM THAT WE BROUGHT IN A TRAINER TO HELP US TRAIN VOLUNTEERS TO GO INTO THE SCHOOLS, MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOLS AND BRING IN A LATE PRESENTER BUT ALSO A YOUNG ADULT WHO HAS LIVED WITH MENTAL ILLNESS AND IS LIVING WELL IN RECOVERY TO COME IN AND TALK TO KIDS ABOUT -- FIRST WE TALK ABOUT THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS, THE WARNING SIGNS THAT MIGHT BE ASSOCIATED WITH SOME MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS.

WE TALK ABOUT HOW KIDS CAN GET HELP FOR THEMSELVES OR A FRIEND OR A FAMILY MEMBER AND WE TOUCH A LITTLE BIT ON SUICIDE.

WE TALK ABOUT HOW TO, YOU KNOW, HOW TO REFER SOMEONE FOR HELP OR HOW TO GET HELP YOURSELF AND THEN WE HAVE THAT YOUNG ADULT PERSON SPEND ABOUT 10 MINUTES TELLING THEIR STORY AND IT'S SO POWERFUL AND IMPACTFUL FOR THE KIDS TO LOOK AT A YOUNG PERSON, NOT THAT LONG OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL, WHO CAN RELATE TO THEM, SITTING IN THAT CLASSROOM, FEELING ANXIOUS, FEELING DEPRESSED, FEELING LIKE SELF-HARMING, FEELING MAYBE SUICIDAL, AND THIS PERSON IS THIS YOUNG PERSON IS TALKING ABOUT THAT WITH ME, AND HERE'S HOW I GOT HELP AND HERE'S WHAT I DID TO GET BETTER AND HERE'S WHERE I AM TODAY.

IT PROVIDES THAT KIND OF BEACON OF HOPE FOR KIDS THAT, ALL RIGHT, I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE AND I CAN DO THIS AND MAYBE I CAN LEARN WHERE TO FIND THAT HELP AND LEARN MAYBE HOW TO TALK TO MY PARENTS OR HOW TO TALK TO MY TEACHERS AND GET THAT HELP FOR MYSELF OR FRIENDS.

A GREAT PROGRAM.

IT FITS RIGHT IN WITH THAT 50-MINUTE TIME PERIOD IN SCHOOL.

WE ALSO HAVE A PORTION OF THAT PROGRAM FOR TEACHERS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO ASK KIDS TO TALK TO A TRUSTED ADULT AND THE TEACHER, THE TEACHER HAS TO KNOW HOW TO REFER THAT CHILD FOR HELP AND HOW TO LISTEN AND ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS.

THEN THERE'S ALSO A PORTION FOR PARENT, AS WELL, SO IT'S REALLY I THINK GOING TO BE MAKING A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN NORMALIZING, LIKE JANA SAID, THE CONVERSATION ABOUT I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE, THERE'S HELP OUT THERE, I CAN HAVE A GOOD LIFE.

>> IF WE HAVE PARENTS, TEACHERS, EDUCATORS ACROSS THE STATE WATCHING, HOW DO THEY REACH OUT TO YOU TO START THIS PROCESS?

>> SO IF THEY EVEN WOULD GO TO OUR WEBSITE, NAMISOUTHDAKOTA.ORG, THERE IS A PAGE THERE, PEOPLE CAN VOLUNTEER TO BECOME A LEADER OF THE PROGRAM, BOTH A YOUNG ADULTS OR ANOTHER ADULT THAT WOULD LIKE TO GET INVOLVED IN THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITY.

TRAINING IS ONLINE SO IT'S VERY EASY TO DO AND THEN WE HAVE COACHES COME AND HELP THEM DO THEIR PRESENTATION, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A GREAT PUBLIC SPEAKER, JUST HAVE TO HAVE A HEART FOR KIDS AND WANT TO BRING THAT EDUCATION IN TO STUDENTS WHO, MANY OF THEM HAVE NEVER HAD ANY MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION IN SCHOOL BEFORE HAVE THE >> OKAY, EXCELLENT.

JAN ARC I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE 11 COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS LOCATED ACROSS THE STATE PROVIDING A WIDE SPECTRUM OF SERVICES.

FOR PEOPLE LOOKING TO GET INVOLVED, THIS IS ANOTHER AVENUE?

>> THE COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS HAVE AN AREA THEY PROVIDE SERVICES TO.

SO WHEN THEY CALL INTO THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVES, THE FIRST THING WOULD BE IS THEY WOULD GET SCHEDULE A CLINICAL ASSESSMENTS WITH A TRAINED CLINICIAN.

THAT CLIN -- CLINICIAN WOULD HAVE BEEN IDENTIFY THE NEEDS BASED ON THAT ASSESSMENTS.

THEY ALSO OFFER A 24-HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE AND THEN FUNDING IS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR ANYBODY THAT MAYBE HAS SOME FINANCIAL HARDSHIP AND ISN'T ABLE TO PAY FOR THEY WANT THEMSELVES, SO THE SERVICES ARE DEFINITELY OUT THERE AND AVAILABLE.

>> HOW DO FOLKS KNOW WHERE THOSE SERVICES ARE?

WE'VE GOT A COUPLE DIFFERENT WISHES WE'VE THROWN UP TODAY.

WHICH ONE IS THE BEST ONE?

>> SO THAT WOULD BE OUR DSS WEBSITE, SO DSS.SD.GOV, AND THEN GO TO THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TAB ON THAT WEBSITE.

>> I KNOW WE HAVE A WEBSITE, SDSUICIDEPREVENTION.ORG, SO MAYBE THEY CAN MANUEVER THEIR WAY THROUGH.

SHERI, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE LOSS TEAM, LOCAL OUTREACH TO SUICIDE FOR SURVIVORS.

ANOTHER RESOURCE BUT FOR THOSE THAT ARE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF IT, TALK TO US ABOUT THIS PROGRAM AND THE WORK THAT IT'S DONE.

>> YEAH SO OUR HAPPY LINE CENTER LOSS TEAM WORKS WITH OUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND WHEN SOMEONE IN OUR COMMUNITY DIES BY SUICIDE, LAW ENFORCEMENT WILL REACH OUT TO US AND WE CAN GO OFF-SCENE AND BE THERE TO OFFER SUPPORT AND BE THERE TO HELP THEM WITH THAT CRISIS AT THAT TIME AND WHAT WE KNOW, THE INTENTS OF GOING INTO THIS IS TO HELP THE SURVIVORS WHILE THEY'RE IN THAT STATE OF CRISIS AND OFFERING THEM ONGOING SUPPORT RESOURCES, LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THEY'RE NOT ALONE, THERE IS SOMEONE THERE TO HELP THEM GET THROUGH THIS.

IT HAS BEEN PROVEN WITH SOMEONE WHO DOES SPEAK WITH ONE OF OUR LOSS TEAM MEMBERS OR NOT ONLY IN SOUTH DAKOTA BUT NATIONALLY, THAT A PERSON IS MORE LIKELY TO SEEK THOSE PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES WITHIN 30 DAYS VERSUS IF THEY DO NOT HAVE THAT CONTACT WITH A LOSS TEAM MEMBER, THEY COULD WAIT UP TO 4.5 YEARS TO GET THOSE NEEDED SERVICES TO HELP THEM.

>> I'M GOING TO GO OUT TO STEPHANIE IN A FEW MINUTES BUT REAL QUICK, SHERI, A TEXT CAME IN NOR YOU.

AFTER CALLING THE HOTLINE, DO YOU CONNECT THEM WITH OUTPATIENT SERVICES?

>> WE DO AN ASSESSMENT TO SEE WHAT THE SERVICES IS THAT THEY NEED AND WE CONNECT THEM WITH ANY SERVICES THAT THEY ARE NEEDING.

AND WE HAVE A DATABASE FULL OF RESOURCES, MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES AND OTHER RESOURCES SO WE CONNECT THEM AND WITH WHATEVER RESOURCE IT IS THAT THEY NEED.

>> OKAY, STEPHANIE, I WANT TO COME BACK OUT TO YOU BEFORE WE ENDS THE NIGHT.

A LOT OF FOLKS ARE SITTING AT HOME AND THE INFORMATION WE'VE GATHERED FROM ALL OF YOU IS PHENOMENAL, BUT SOMEONE AT HOME MAY WONDER WHAT DO I SAY, HOW DO I BEGIN THAT CONVERSATION WITH SOMEONE THAT I FEAR IS CONSIDERING SUICIDE?

>> AND THAT'S PROBABLY THE MOST DIFFICULT QUESTION AND TO ME IT'S PROBABLY THE EASIEST QUESTION BECAUSE SIMPLY BE EMPATHETIC, PUT THAT HUMAN-TO-HUMAN TOUCH OF CARING ABOUT THAT PERSON AND WANTING -- YOU WANT THAT PERSON TO LIVE.

YOU WANT THAT PERSON TO STAY WITH YOU BUT SAY, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT YOU.

I'M WORRIED ABOUT YOU.

I'M SEEING AND I'M NOTICING SOMETHING'S DIFFERENT AND SOMETHING'S CHANGED AND IF YOU FEEL YOU WANT TO MENTION A FEW OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE CHANGED, DON'T MENTION A LOT, JUST MENTION A COUPLE OF 'EM OR A FEW AND JUST MAKE SURE THAT THAT PERSON TALKS A LITTLE BIT, OR MAYBE THEY TALK A LOT BUT YOU HAVE TO BE VERY TO LISTEN.

AND AS YOU LISTEN AND YOU HEAR WHAT'S GOING ON, AND YOU JUST EMPATHIZE WITH, YOU KNOW, THAT -- THAT MUST BE REALLY DIFFICULT AND YOU CAN'T SAY THAT I UNDERSTAND HOW YOU'RE FEELING BECAUSE NOBODY UNDERSTANDS EXACTLY HOW THEY'RE FEELING BUT YOU MIGHT WANT TO SAY, SOMETIMES WHEN SOMEBODY IS GOING THROUGH SOMETHING LIKE THAT, SOMETIMES SOME PEOPLE JUST FEEL LIKE THEY WANT TO GIVE UP.

UNLESS THEY'VE BEEN VERY BLUNT WITH YOU AND SAID THEY WANT TO GIVE UP.

AND EITHER WAY, SAY, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THEY THINK ABOUT DYING.

SOMETIMES THEY THINK ABOUT SUICIDE, SOMETIMES THEY THINK ABOUT ENDING THEIR LIFE AND THIS IS WHERE YOU HAVE TO BE BRAVE ABOUT SAYING THOSE WORDS.

AND IF YOU'RE NOT DIRECTS ABOUT SAYING THOSE WORDS, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET TO THE ANSWER.

YOU HAVE TO SAY THE WORD "SUICIDE," OR THE WORD ENDING YOUR LIFE, OR THE WORD KILLING YOURSELF, AND WHEN IT COMES TO TEENS AND WHEN IT COMES TO, AND WENDY SAID, EACH YOUNGER THAN 10, OUR YOUNG, YOUNG CHILDREN DO KNOW WHAT THAT WORD MEANS.

THEY'RE BOMBARDED WITH SOCIAL MEDIA AND INTERNET AND EVERYTHING OUR WORLD HAS BEFORE US.

THEY KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS AND BELIEVE ME, IT WILL NOT PUT THE THOUGHT IN THEIR MINDS IF IT WASN'T THIS OR IF IT IS THERE OR ANYTHING TO THAT EFFECT.

IT WON'T.

RESEARCH HAS PROVEN THAT.

AND WHAT MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE WORKED WITH MANY PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, RACES, GENDERS, ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS SHE IT DOESN'T MATTER, HAVE SAID THAT WHEN YOU ASK THAT QUESTION, ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT SUICIDE, IT MAY NOT COME IMMEDIATELY AND IT MAY NOT BE IN EVERY SITUATION BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME IT WILL ALLEVIATE THAT BURDEN THAT IS WITHIN THEM OF WANTING TO END THE PAIN, AND THAT'S WHAT SUICIDE IS ABOUT, WANTING TO END THE PAIN, AND THEY WILL MOST LIKELY TELL YOU, YES.

AND THEN FROM THERE, YOU HAVE TO LISTEN.

YOU HAVE TO BE NON-JUDGMENTAL.

>> STEPHANIE, IT'S COME TO THE ENDS OF THE PROGRAM.

>> IF THEY DON'T SAY -- IF THEY GET MAD OR ANYTHING -- OKAY.

>> YOU'RE DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB AND I HATE TO CAN YOU TELL US YOU OFF.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT AND ALL YOUR INFORMATION AND OF COURSE ALL THE GOOD WORK YOU'RE DOING FOR FOLKS THAT NEED IT.

IN THE WESTERN PART OF OUR STATE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK HERE TO OUR VERMILLION STUDIO.

WE DO HAVE A FEW MINUTES LEFT.

STEPHANIE GAVE US SOME GREAT ADVICE THERE.

AS THE MOTHER OF TEENAGERS, I TOOK EVERY WORD SHE SAID TO HEART.

SO WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THAT?

IF THEY SAY THE WORDS, YES, I HAVE, YES, I AM THINKING OF THIS, AS A PARENT, WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP?

>> YEAH, AND THAT'S THE SCARY THING.

WHEN WE DO TRAININGS AND WE PRACTICE ASKING THAT QUESTION, ARE YOU FEELING SUICIDAL, I'VE HAD PEOPLE SAY I'M AFRAID TO ASK IT BECAUSE THEY MAY SAY YES BUT PARENTS NEED TO KNOW THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO IT ALONE.

WE'VE HAD SOCIAL WORKERS CALL THE 1-800 NUMBER OR 2-1-1 AND WE CAN HELP TO GUIDE THEM THROUGH THAT PROCESS, AND I THINK BY IN STILL HOPE, ANY TYPE OF HOPE, JUST STARTING THAT CONVERSATION WITH THEM AND TALKING ABOUT THAT, ALLOWS THEM TO OPEN UP AND TALK MORE AND INSTILLS THAT HOPE AND WE KNOW THAT HOPE CAN HELP SAVE LIVES.

AND SO THE NEXT STEPS WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, CONNECTING THEM WITH THE PROFESSIONALS OR MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS, CONNECTING THEM WITH THOSE PEOPLE THAT WILL GO ON AND MAKE THOSE SAFETY PLANS WITH THEM.

SO EITHER CONNECTING WITH MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS OR THEY CAN SIMPLY CALL THE 1-800 NUMBER AND CONNECT WITH US AND WE CAN HELP TO GUIDE THEM THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

>> I'VE GOT ABOUT 30 SECONDS.

WENDY IS THERE SOMEWHERE ONLINE FOR THE NAMI SITE WHERE A PARENT CAN GO AND READ FOR GUIDANCE ON HOW TO START THE CONVERSATION?

>> YEAH, I WOULD REALLY GO TO THE JUST THE NAMI.ORG WEBSITE.

THERE IS A WHOLE RESOURCE SECTION FOR PARENT, GOT A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION.

CALL OUR OFFICE, EMAIL US FOR MORE INFORMATION.

WE CAN HELP CONNECT YOU, AGAIN, WITH PEOPLE IN YOUR AREA THAT YOU CAN TALK TO AND WE'RE AVAILABLE TO KIND OF HELP TALK YOU THROUGH THAT PROCESS BECAUSE IT CAN BE SCARY BUT WE HAVE TO BE BRAVE AS PARENTS AND REALLY ADVOCATE FOR OUR KIDS AND JUST KNOW THAT THERE'S HELP OUT THERE.

THEY'RE NOT ALONE.

>> WE ARE THEIR NUMBER ONE ADVOCATE, THAT'S FOR SURE.

>> THAT WILL CONCLUDE THIS EDITION OF "SOUTH DAKOTA FOCUS."

I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR GUESTS FOR BEING WITH US.

FIRST, THANK TO YOU TO STEPHAINE SCHWEITZER DIXON WITH THE FRONT PORCH COALITION, JOINING US FROM OUR BLACK HILLS STUDIO IN RAPID CITY.

THANK YOU, STEPHANIE.

AND THANK YOU TO OUR GUESTS IN OUR VERMILLION STUDIO.

JANA SPRENGER WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES DIVISION OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.

ALSO THANK YOU TO WENDY GIEBINK WITH THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS IN SOUTH DAKOTA.

AND THANK YOU TO SHERI NELSON WITH THE SOUTH DAKOTA HELP LINE CENTER.

THANKS TO THOSE WHO CONNECTED WITH US TONIGHT TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS OR ASK A QUESTION.

AND, REMEMBER, IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS CONSIDERING SUICIDE, THE NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION HOTLINE IS OPEN 24/7.

1-800-273-TALK (8255).

YOU CAN ALSO USE THE NATIONAL CRISIS TEXTLINE.

JUST TEXT THE WORD "TALK" TO 741-741.

BE SURE TO JOIN US FOR OUR NEXT "SOUTH DAKOTA FOCUS" AS WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT OUR STATE'S FOSTER CARE NEEDS.

DUE TO INCREASES IN METH AND OTHER DRUG-RELATED CRIMES, THE CHILDREN ARE STUCK IN THE MIDDLE, CREATING A NEED FOR MORE FOSTER FAMILIES THAN EVER BEFORE.

THIS HAS CREATED A FOSTER CARE CRISIS IN SOUTH DAKOTA.

OUR EXPERTS WILL HELP US BETTER UNDERSTAND WHERE THE HELP IS NEEDED THE MOST, WHAT THE FUTURE MAY LOOK LIKE FOR THESE CHILDREN, AND WHAT WE CAN ALL DO TO HELP.

THAT'S FOSTER CARE NEEDS IN SOUTH DAKOTA ON OUR JANUARY 31ST "SOUTH DAKOTA FOCUS" AT 8:00 P.M.

CENTRAL, 7:00 P.M.

MOUNTAIN.

UNTIL THEN, ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US WITH "SOUTH DAKOTA FOCUS," THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

GOOD NIGHT.

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