OVER THE PAST YEAR MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND PARENTS HAVE CONTINUED TO TRY TO COME TO
GRIPS WITH THE IMMENSE TRAGEDY OF LAST YEAR'S FEBRUARY 14TH
SHOOTING.
NOW THE PARKLAND COMMUNITY IS IN MOURNING YET AGAIN AFTER THE
DEATHS OF TWO YOUNG PEOPLE BY SUICIDE WITHIN A WEEK OF EACH
OTHER: 19-YEAR-OLD SYDNEY AIELLO AND 16-YEAR-OLD CALVIN
DESIR.
SYDNEY GRADUATED LAST YEAR AFTER SURVIVING THE SHOOTING.
BUT HER FAMILY SAYS THE CLOSE FRIEND OF VICTIM MEADOW POLLOCK
SUFFERED FROM SURVIVOR'S GUILT AND WAS RECENTLY DIAGNOSED WITH
POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER.
CALVIN ALSO SURVIVED THE FEBRUARY 14TH SHOOTING, BUT AT
THIS TIME WHAT LED HIM TO TAKE HIS OWN LIFE IS NOT KNOWN.
THE 211 BROWARD HELPLINE HAS REPORTED A 24% INCREASE IN
SUICIDE-RELATED CALLS SINCE LAST YEAR AND 188 CALLS RELATED
DIRECTLY TO THE PARKLAND SHOOTING.
JOINING ME NOW TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT OF SURVIVOR'S GUILT,
LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THE COMMUNITY, IS
JANINE RIBEIRO CHOW-QUAN, LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR
AND SENIOR DIRECTOR OF HEALTH AND BEHAVIORAL INITIATIVES WITH
UNITED WAY OF BROWARD COUNTY, ALSO WITH US TODAY, BILLIE
MORGAN, MANAGER OF THE SPECIAL NEEDS AND BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH PROGRAM AT 211 BROWARD.
LADIES, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US.
THANK YOU.
IT'S SAT WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THIS BUT THIS IS A
REALITY, RIGHT JANINE, AFTER A TRAGEDY SUCH AS THIS STILL
SUFFERING AND STILL AT RISK FOR SUICIDE.
SO TALK ABOUT THIS.
YOU KNOW WHEN A TRAGEDY LIKE THIS HAPPENS IN A COMMUNITY, IT
HAS A RIPPLE EFFECT, AND IT'S GOING TO EFFECT US AS RESIDENTS
FOR YEARS TO COME.
THERE IS NO SET TIME LIMIT ON SOMEONE'S GRIEF OR SOMEONE'S
TRAUMA.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WILL BE DEALING WITH, UNFORTUNATELY.
NOW WE KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF MENTAL HEALTH
COUNSELORS AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE GONE INTO THE SCHOOL AND
COMMUNITY SUPPORT.
I THINK FOR A LOT OF FOLKS THIS WAS A SHOCK.
THIS WAS A SHOCK THAT THESE YOUNG PEOPLE TOOK THEIR LIVES.
IS IT SOME SORT OF A WAKEUP CALL THAT THERE'S STILL SO MUCH WORK
THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE?
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
I THINK -- I WOULD HATE TO CALL IT A WAKEUP CALL.
I THINK UNITED STATES SOMETHING THAT WE JUST HAVEN'T -- IT'S
SOMETHING THAT WE JUST HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY NEED TO KEEP IN MIND.
THAT WE NEED TO HAVE -- WE NEED TO TALK TO OUR LOVED ONES.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE GETTING THE HELP THAT THEY
NEED.
YEAH, BILLIE, YOU WORK FOR 211.
WE'VE HAD YOU ON BEFORE AND TALKED ABOUT THE GREAT SERVICES
PROVIDED BY THAT-O. TALK TO US -- THAT ORGANIZATION.A
TALK TO US SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE SUICIDE HOT LINE AND WHAT
WE'VE HEARD THERE HAS BEEN AN UPTICK.
THAT'S CORRECT, THERE'S BEEN AN INCREASE IN CALLS BUT THAT
CAN BE DISCOURAGING FOR SOME TO SEE THAT BUT FOR US IT'S
ENCOURAGING THAT PEOPLE ARE CONNECTING AND REACHING OUT.
AND SAYING IT'S OKAY TO NOT BE OKAY.
LET'S MAKE A CALL, LET'S CONNECT IN SOME WAY TO SOME
PROFESSIONALS THAT CAN GIVE YOU RESOURCES AND SUPPORT OR JUST A
LISTENING EAR.
SO IT IS ALARMING TO SEE THAT INCREASE.
BUT IT'S ALSO ENCOURAGING TO KNOW THAT IT'S OKAY, AND IT'S
GOOD, THAT WE ARE REACHING OUT IN OUR COMOOUMTION, AND SEEKING
HELP THAT THE RESOURCES THAT 211 CAN PROVIDE.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT.
THERE ARE CERTAIN PAROLE PETRO COALESCE, CALLED THE COLUMBIA
PROTOCOL THAT YOU FOLLOW.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF RESEARCH INTO SUICIDE AND WHAT KINDS OF
QUESTIONS COME TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER.
I THINK WE HAVE THEM UP SO PEOPLE CAN SEE WHAT THEY ARE.
THE COLUMBIA PROTOCOL IS WHAT THE COMMUNITY HAS ADOPTED.
IT'S A WAY TO KIND OF CUT THROUGH THAT HESITATION TO ASK
ABOUT SUICIDE.
LET'S NOT WORRY ABOUT WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IF WE ASK SOMEBODY ABOUT
SUICIDE BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ASK.
SO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS YOU SEE HERE IS HAVE YOU BISHED YOU WERE
DEAD -- WISHED YOU WERE DEAD OR WISHED YOU WOULD GO TO SLEEP AND
NOL NOT WAKE UP.
IT'S OKAY TO ASK, ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT SUICIDE, HAVE YOU
THOUGHT ABOUT IT, HOW YOU MIGHT DO IT.
ARE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS TO ASK AND CHALLENGING TO ASK.
WE'RE NOT ASKING YOU TO BE SUICIDE INTERVENTION
PROFESSIONALS HERE BUT WHAT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU HAVE THAT
NUMBER OF 211 TO SAY WHAT CAN I SAY?
WHAT CAN I DO?
OR MAYBE MAKE A CALL TOGETHER WITH THAT PERSON YOU ARE TRYING
TO SUPPORT, WHO MAY BE AT RISK.
SO IT'S KIND OF STARTING THE CONVERSATION AND HOW DO YOU
START THIS CONVERSATION IS WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT BOTH OF YOU HAD POINTED OUT THAT WAS
REALLY IMPORTANT IS THAT DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK SOMEBODY, POINT
BLANK, ABOUT HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT TAKING YOUR OWN LIFE?
BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE NEVER HAD THAT THOUGHT, YOU'RE NOT
PLANTING A SEED IN THERE THAT'S GOING TO CREATE A PROBLEM,
CORRECT?
IN CORRECT.
TALK ABOUT THAT JANINE, WE NEED TO BE BLUNT.
WE NEED TO BE BLUNT AND DIRECT, ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT
DYING?
ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT NOT BEING HERE?
QUESTIONS ABOUT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE A BURDEN?
THOSE ARE SOME OF THE QUESTIONS I THINK ARE VERY DIRECT WITH
PEOPLE.
AND WHEN YOU ASK THEM, IT HELPS THEM TO SAY, YOU KNOW, NO, I'M
NOT OR YES, I AM, I DO FEEL THAT WAY, YOU KNOW?
AND THEN YOU SEEK SERVICES TOGETHER.
EITHER YOU TALK ABOUT IT, IT OPENS THE DIALOGUE, AND I THINK
THE MORE WE TALK, THE MORE -- YOU KNOW, INFORMATION GETS OUT.
AND PEOPLE WILL SEEK SERVICES.
TALK ABOUT EAGLE'S HAVEN.
THIS IS SOMETHING SPECIFICALLY FOR THE MSD COMMUNITY THAT YOU
HELPED TO CREATE.
YES.
SO EAGLE'S HAVEN IS A WELLNESS CENTER THAT OPENED UP IN CORAL
SPRINGS.
WE HAD A SOFT OPENING LAST MONDAY.
IT IS SOMETHING WHERE, YOU KNOW, ANYBODY FROM THE COMMUNITY, SO
THIS ISN'T JUST THE STUDENTS OF MSD OR THE FACULTY.
THIS IS THE GRANDMAS, THIS IS THE AUNTS, THE UNCLES, THIS IS
STUDENTS FROM OTHER SCHOOLS.
WHO ARE AFFECTED.
YOU KNOW, WHO CAN WALK IN, WHERE THEY CAN CALL, AND THEY CAN GET
SERVICES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO IT'S REALLY AND TRULY A DROP-IN CENTER.
SO THE CENTER WILL HAVE -- IT WILL HAVE LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH
CLINICIANS BUT THEY WILL ALSO HAVE GROUPS GOING ON.
YOU KNOW THEY WILL HAVE YOGA, THEY'LL HAVE OPEN MECHANIC,
THEY'LL HAVE POETRY.
THEY'LL HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS GOING ON BECAUSE THIS
AFFECTS SO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
I LIKE HAD YOU YOU SAY THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT THERAPY.
YOU DON'T JUST SIT DOWN WITH A COUNSELOR RIGHT AWAY, IT IS A
SAFE SPACE.
YOU CAN GET INVOLVED IN SOME SORT OF ACTIVITY MAYBE TO GET
YOUR MIND OFF OF THINGS, RIGHT?
EXACTLY.
211 SAFE SPACE TALK ABOUT THAT, SAFE SPACE 211, THERE IT
IS.
WE HAVE A WUBT WITH THAT LINK AT THE TOP WHERE YOU CAN FIND A
CONDENSED LIST OF RESOURCES THAT YOU CAN CONNECT, SUCH AS EAGLE'S
HAIFN AND OTHER RESOURCES.
WHAT IS GREAT ABOUT 211, YOU CAN TAP INTO, IT'S YOUTH FOCUSED,
THEY CAN CALL US OR CHAT WITH US AT ANY TIME AT THE TOP OF THAT
LINK.
IT'S A NICE WAY TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT, USE AND ANY RESOURCES
THEY NEED.
BUT THIS IS FOR EVERYONE.
211 IS EVERYBODY'S HELP LINE.
IT'S FOR OUR SENIORS, STUDENTS, ALL WALKS OF LIFE, BEYOND
SUICIDE, IF ANYBODY NEEDS ANYTHING BEYOND, JUST REMEMBER.
THIS RECOVERY PROCESS AFTER TRAGEDY, YOU MAY NOT EVEN KNOW
YOU ARE AFFECTED BY IT UNTIL MANY YEARS OUT.
I THINK WHAT'S ALSO -- WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THESE TWO STUDENTS
FROM MSD WHO TOOK THEIR LIST OF, 49-YEAR-OLD SANDY HOOK FATHER
JEREMY RICHMOND, TOOK HIS LIFE, TOO.
OBVIOUSLY, SPEAK TO THAT, THIS WAS STILL VERY DIFFICULT FOR
HIM.
HE WAS DEALING WITH IN EVERY DAY, RIGHT JANINE?
CORRECT.
GRIEF, IT'S SOMETHING, THERE'S NO TIME LIMIT ON IT.
WHEN YOU LOSE A LOVED ONE IT HURLTS DMOM MATTER HOW LONG IT
IS. AND I THINK IT'S REALLY AND
TRULY UNDERSTANDING THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS, WILL AFFECT
US ALL OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY FOR A RELONG TIME.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT OUR CAREGIVERS ALSO
NEED TO KNOW WHEN THEY NEED SUPPORT.
CAREGIVERS NEED TO KNOW IF THEY'RE STRUGGLING OR NEED HELP
THAT THIS NUMBER AND THERE ARE CONNECTIONS OUT THERE.
WE HAD MENTION BED EAGLE'S HAVEN AND HOW THERE ARE DIFFERENT
OUTLETS AND DIFFERENT WAYS TO CONNECT.
AND ISOLATION IS A DANGER FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE AT RISK OF
SUICIDE.
SO MAKING CERTAIN THAT PERSON HAS A CONNECTION IN LIFE, A
GROUP, A SOCIAL NETWORK WILL REALLY HELP TO KEEP THAT PERSON
SAFE AND CONNECTED.
WE ALL NEED EACH OTHER, HEAL IN COMMUNITY, RIGHT?
YES.
BEFORE WE GO QUICKLY, HOW DO WE GET THE WORD OUT TO PEOPLE
THAT THERE ARE THESE RESOURCES?
IS IT THROUGH OBVIOUSLY WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW, DO YOU DO
INTO SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY CENTERS, AND LET PEOPLE KNOW, WE'RE HERE
211, HOW DO YOU LET THE PEOPLE KNOW?
STAFF OF EAGLE'S HAVEN WILL BE DOING DIFFERENT COMMUNITY
EVENTS THROUGHOUT BROWARD.
THE CHILDREN'S SERVICE COUNCIL AND UNITED WAY OF BROWARD COUNTY
WILL ALSO BE PUTTING THE MESSAGING OUT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE HAVE SO MANY OTHER RESOURCES, BROWARD SCHOOLS,
OTHERS IN OUR COMMUNITY, IT IS WONDERFUL THAT WE HAVE A NETWORK
OF MENTAL HEALTH IN OUR COMMUNITY AND TAP INTO IT.
REACH OUT THE US.
LADIES, THANK YOU SO MUCH, WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
REMEMBER, IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS IN CRISIS, OR YOU JUST
NEED SOMEONE TO TALK TO, YOU CAN ALWAYS DIAL 211 IN MIAMI-DADE,
BROWARD OR PALM BEACH COUNTIES, TO BE CONNECTED TO A TRAINED
OPERATOR.
YOU CAN ALSO REACH OUT TO THE NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION
LIFELINE BY CALLING 1-800-273-8255.
WE'LL HAVE MORE INFO ON ALL OF THE RESOURCES WE DISCUSSED TODAY
ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE - @YOURSOUTHFL.