Post by Okwes on Jun 10, 2006 11:46:29 GMT -5
Effects Of Suicide (community)
Families recount effects of suicide
American Indians saddled with rates higher than average
By BECKY SHAY
Of The Gazette Staff
Survivors of those who commit suicide are often left to ask, "Why?"
Lois Two Bears, whose 16-year-old son committed suicide, had a litany of
questions: Why did you do this? Why not come to me? Why didn't I go to
you?
"You know what? There is no answer to the question 'Why?'" Two Bears
said.
Two Bears and her husband, Tony, spoke during a survivors panel at a
two-day conference in Billings, which ended Saturday. The conference was
hosted by the Montana-Wyoming Tribal Leaders Council.
The Two Bears, enrolled members of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, live
in Cannon Ball, N.D. Their son, Brad, died Dec. 18, 2001. The couple
said they speak about their loss to help others.
That is also why Nancy Sleeper, of Hardin, speaks about husband Joe's
suicide. The one-year anniversary of his death was May 13.
"You can't answer why," Sleeper said.
Looking back on her husband's death, she said, "He must have felt so
broken that he couldn't be put back together.
"But nothing is ever so broken it can't be fixed. Maybe you can't put
all the pieces back together, but nothing is broken to the point of
killing yourself."
National studies show that suicide rates for American Indians are up to
three times the national average of other groups, according to
statistics provided at an oversight hearing on youth suicide held May 17
by the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.
Studies also show that suicide is the second-leading cause of death
behind unintentional injuries and accidents for Indian youths ages 15 to
24.
The Montana-Wyoming Tribal Leaders Council was recently granted $390,000
from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA) to help tribes develop and implement suicide
prevention plans.
Jackie Yellowtail Hare believes she was one of the last people to talk
to her son before he committed suicide Jan. 28, 2001.
"My baby was 16 years old," she said. "In the Crow tradition, we don't
believe in suicide. Once we lose a loved one, we never mention their
name again. We never speak about them. That has bothered me in my
healing."
The parents said one of the difficulties for survivors is the stigma
attached to suicide.
"People don't know what to say to you. They look at you like you did
something terrible. They pity you," she said.
Lois Two Bears said she ignored it when people looked at her and
whispered among themselves. Eventually, she also started talking.
"We decided to go out and educate adults, tell young people that suicide
is not the answer," she said.
Jennifer Giroux, a medical epidemiologist with the tribal leaders
council, said there is "very strong" data, collected between 1990 and
2002 that shows high suicide rates among Indians in Montana and Wyoming.
All Montana and Wyoming tribes may access information and assistance
that comes from the grant, but only the tribes that opted to participate
in the grant will receive funding, Giroux said. They are the Northern
Arapaho tribe in Wyoming, and those on the Montana Blackfeet, Crow,
Northern Cheyenne, Fort Peck and Fort Belknap reservations.
"Our job is not to tell you (tribes) what you want to do but to support
you in what you want to do," Giroux said. "Every tribe will probably
have little bit different plan."
Gordon Belcourt, executive director of the tribal leaders council, said
he hopes the plans are tribal specific and updated as conditions and
resources change. Also, Belcourt said he would like each tribe to have a
crisis intervention team in place. Part of the solution, he said, will
be to incorporate traditional people and healing into the model each
tribe follows for its plan.
Contact Becky Shay at bshay@billingsgazette.com or 657-1231.
Families recount effects of suicide
American Indians saddled with rates higher than average
By BECKY SHAY
Of The Gazette Staff
Survivors of those who commit suicide are often left to ask, "Why?"
Lois Two Bears, whose 16-year-old son committed suicide, had a litany of
questions: Why did you do this? Why not come to me? Why didn't I go to
you?
"You know what? There is no answer to the question 'Why?'" Two Bears
said.
Two Bears and her husband, Tony, spoke during a survivors panel at a
two-day conference in Billings, which ended Saturday. The conference was
hosted by the Montana-Wyoming Tribal Leaders Council.
The Two Bears, enrolled members of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, live
in Cannon Ball, N.D. Their son, Brad, died Dec. 18, 2001. The couple
said they speak about their loss to help others.
That is also why Nancy Sleeper, of Hardin, speaks about husband Joe's
suicide. The one-year anniversary of his death was May 13.
"You can't answer why," Sleeper said.
Looking back on her husband's death, she said, "He must have felt so
broken that he couldn't be put back together.
"But nothing is ever so broken it can't be fixed. Maybe you can't put
all the pieces back together, but nothing is broken to the point of
killing yourself."
National studies show that suicide rates for American Indians are up to
three times the national average of other groups, according to
statistics provided at an oversight hearing on youth suicide held May 17
by the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.
Studies also show that suicide is the second-leading cause of death
behind unintentional injuries and accidents for Indian youths ages 15 to
24.
The Montana-Wyoming Tribal Leaders Council was recently granted $390,000
from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA) to help tribes develop and implement suicide
prevention plans.
Jackie Yellowtail Hare believes she was one of the last people to talk
to her son before he committed suicide Jan. 28, 2001.
"My baby was 16 years old," she said. "In the Crow tradition, we don't
believe in suicide. Once we lose a loved one, we never mention their
name again. We never speak about them. That has bothered me in my
healing."
The parents said one of the difficulties for survivors is the stigma
attached to suicide.
"People don't know what to say to you. They look at you like you did
something terrible. They pity you," she said.
Lois Two Bears said she ignored it when people looked at her and
whispered among themselves. Eventually, she also started talking.
"We decided to go out and educate adults, tell young people that suicide
is not the answer," she said.
Jennifer Giroux, a medical epidemiologist with the tribal leaders
council, said there is "very strong" data, collected between 1990 and
2002 that shows high suicide rates among Indians in Montana and Wyoming.
All Montana and Wyoming tribes may access information and assistance
that comes from the grant, but only the tribes that opted to participate
in the grant will receive funding, Giroux said. They are the Northern
Arapaho tribe in Wyoming, and those on the Montana Blackfeet, Crow,
Northern Cheyenne, Fort Peck and Fort Belknap reservations.
"Our job is not to tell you (tribes) what you want to do but to support
you in what you want to do," Giroux said. "Every tribe will probably
have little bit different plan."
Gordon Belcourt, executive director of the tribal leaders council, said
he hopes the plans are tribal specific and updated as conditions and
resources change. Also, Belcourt said he would like each tribe to have a
crisis intervention team in place. Part of the solution, he said, will
be to incorporate traditional people and healing into the model each
tribe follows for its plan.
Contact Becky Shay at bshay@billingsgazette.com or 657-1231.