• Create more AA , ALATEEN , and NA meetings and support groups .
• Work with churches and other cultural leaders to break culturally based stigma .
• See Downtown Streets Team note elsewhere in this report .
b ) Action Area : Suicide Prevention Activities , Enhancing Behavioral Health Wellness , and Early Intervention The majority of the respondents indicated that early intervention and teaching behavioral health wellness are key to preventing or reducing the severity of future behavioral health and substance misuse , including but not limited to suicide and anxiety . This applies to both children and adults who have suffered a tragedy at some point in their lives , including those who have experienced one or more ACEs , or Adverse Childhood Experiences . The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) states that “ ACEs have a tremendous impact on future violence victimization and perpetration , and lifelong health and opportunity .” 22 The CDC continues to define ACEs as potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood ( 0-17 years ), including :
• Experiencing violence , abuse , or neglect
• Witnessing violence in the home or community
• Having a family member attempt or die by suicide
• Substance misuse
• Mental health problems
• Instability due to parental separation or household members being in jail or prison
ACEs are also linked to chronic health problems , mental illness , and substance misuse in adulthood , and can negatively impact education and job opportunities . In fact , about 61 % of adults in one national survey had experienced at least one type of ACE , and nearly 1 in 6 reported that they had experienced four or more types of ACEs . 23
The National Association of Mental Illness ( NAMI ) shared that 90 % of those who commit suicide had an underlying mental health condition , 24 highlighting the importance of addressing and treating the root causes of mental illness as early as possible . And as a reminder , in the Stage 1 Report research was shared that indicated suicide was one of the leading causes of death in the area and that rates are higher in Polk County ( 18.7 ) than the state average ( 16.9 ). Experts interviewed shared that while research shows the importance of identifying and addressing ACEs in members of the community , the ACEs paradigm is still not as widely utilized as it should be by providers , which is an educational opportunity for mental health professionals , school social workers , and others .
• “ Inequality Florida - working with this advocacy organization to learn best how to support LGBTQ students because they ' re more at risk for suicide , anxiety , etc .”
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