Experts emphasize support for youth during Suicide Prevention Month

Shannia Hall says art provided her with an outlet during her darkest moments as a former child in a residential care facility.

“You feel so alone and the pain is heavy,” Hall said.

“I was taken to a very dark place where the only option felt like self-harm… but then my social worker introduced me to art therapy.”

Hall is now pursuing further education to become an art therapist herself, using her life experience to help others. She’s also speaking out during September — Suicide Prevention Month — about the importance of mental health support and a sense of belonging for struggling youth.

“Just being in a room with other kids in foster care and knowing I wasn’t alone helped,” she said.

The International Association for Suicide Prevention, together with the World Health Organization, has dedicated this year’s theme to “Changing the narrative about suicide.”

In Canada, approximately 4,500 people die by suicide each year, according to Statistics Canada —equivalent to 12 people dying every day. Young people are one of the most vulnerable populations, and experts say sharing stories about mental health helps reduce the stigma associated with it.

Peel Children’s Aid Society hopes to alleviate this problem by opening a new Youth Wellness Hub in Brampton, expected to open in 2025. Mary Beth Moellenkamp, ​​CEO of Peel Children’s Aid Society, says some of the youth who benefit from the hub will also help design the programming.

“We are very excited about this because it gives children and youth with experience in child protection the opportunity to support programs in the community that would have been helpful to them,” Moellenkamp said.

“That space, where they know they are being listened to and their needs are being met, is incredibly important.”

According to the Ontario government, Peel Children’s Aid is the first child welfare organization to co-design a Youth Wellness Hub. It is part of an overall vision of regional wellness hubs, in partnership with the Ontario government, that support children and youth experiencing a mental health crisis. The goal is to provide professional care and programming to those who need it most, along with supporting their families, teachers and communities as they navigate challenges.

The province’s overarching goal is to expand the provincial-level program to regional wellness centres across Ontario and potentially create a roadmap for similar programs across the country.

The suicide hotline 988 receives an average of 1,000 calls per day

Last year, the Center for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) the launch of 988 — a number that anyone in Canada can call for help. The service offers trauma-informed and culturally affirming support to anyone who is thinking about suicide, or is concerned about someone they know.

According to Dr. Allison Crawford, medical director of the Suicide Crisis Helpline, the service receives an average of about 1,000 calls a day.

“We know that crisis lines are an evidence-based approach to reducing suicide and getting people the support they need as quickly as possible,” she said.

“We know there is a need for community-based support, which we get through our partners, and people know where to go just as easily as they can dial 112.”

Sunnybrook Hospital offers youth-specific support through the Family Navigation Project. The project provides expert navigation through the mental health and addictions systems for youth and their families in the Greater Toronto Area.

According to Dr. Mark Sinyor, a psychiatrist at Sunnybrook Hospital, messaging about suicide is critical.

“When we share stories of survival, we see more survival in the population. And that’s really what we want to focus on,” he said.

“The approach to youth suicide prevention is to really understand what the basis of suicide is,” Sinyor said.

“For some people it’s a treatable mental health issue and we can help with that. For other people it’s a problem-solving issue. And we know that people who are suicidal often have trouble figuring out how to solve problems.”

A crisis plan to manage a suicidal crisis can be very effective, Sinyor said.

Looking back on her childhood, Hall says she is grateful for the people who supported her through the tough times, and she looks forward to passing that on.

Until then, she has this advice for children who are struggling.

“You’re not alone in this, you’re never alone in this,” Hall said.

“And even though your pain may make you feel like you’re alone against the world, that’s not true. There is always another choice.”