2013 International Survivors of Suicide Day

Each year, more than 30,000 people in the United States lose their lives to suicide, each leaving behind family, friends, colleagues and others who struggle to make sense of their loss. To support these survivors of suicide loss in our community, across the U.S. and around the world, the Saturday before Thanksgiving has been designated International Survivors of Suicide Day. Individuals come together each year for support and guidance through healing conferences in their communities and online.

Visit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's website for more information on International Survivors of Suicide Day. On Saturday, Nov 23, visit the website from 9-10:30 a.m. AKST to view a nationwide program and participate in a live chat with others who have lost someone to suicide.

Grief support groups can be helpful for individuals who have experienced a death of someone close to them. In our local Anchorage community, there are many grief support groups available year-round, including two focused on grief related to suicide loss:

• The Denaa Yeets' Suicide Grief Support Group is an open group for any adult (18 and older) who would like grief support for a loss due to suicide. The group meets every Tuesday, 5-6:30 p.m., at Southcentral Foundation. For more information, call (907) 729-5260.
• Charter College offers a Survivors of Suicide Support Group for anyone 16 years or older who had a close personal relationship with someone who completed suicide. For more information, call (907) 272-3100.
• The Hospice of Anchorage provides an Adult Grief Support Group that meets the second and fourth Tuesday of the month, 7-9 p.m. at the Hospice of Anchorage office. For more information, call (907) 561-5322.
• The Hospice of Anchorage also offers a Young Adult Grief Group that is peer-facilitated by and for young adults (18 and younger) who have experienced the death of a special person. The group meets two evenings a month to support each other through grief and is co-sponsored and supervised by the UAA School of Nursing and Hospice of Anchorage. If you or someone you know would like a safe place to talk about living with loss, please call (907) 561-5322.
• Anchorage Baptist Temple offers GriefShare, an ongoing 13-week discussion group that can be joined at any time. The group is open to any denomination and has a religious focus. For more information, call (907) 333-6535.
• TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors) is a program that provides education, information and emotional support for those affected by loss in the Armed Forces. For more information call, (800) 959-8277. The line is open 24/7.
• The Veteran's Grief and Loss Group is a four-week ongoing group for veterans or spouses. Call (907) 257-4854 for more information.

To learn more about suicide prevention on campus and the UAA-Integrated Suicide Prevention Initiative, visit www.uaa.alaska.edu/ispi.

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