Caroline Rhoads
The Communicator

Due to the tragedy that lead to the death of former student Jed Zillmer, SFCC will be hosting a suicide prevention workshop on Wednesday May 7th in the SUB lounge.
The event is being sponsored by a collaboration between the LGBT Alliance, Veterans association and the Counseling Department.
The workshop will be presented by Dan Fox, who is a licensed social worker and currently the clinical manager at Lutheran Community Services Northwest.
Barbara Williamson is the head the LGBT Alliance.
“LGBT Students and Veterans have a higher rate of suicide” Williamson said. One of the reasons LGBT students are at a higher risk is that their problems are often exacerbated by a lack of community structure to turn to for help, such as a supportive church or families. According to Williamson, LGBT students often have to search for, or create, such support structures.
According to Williamson, veterans, on the other hand, face different challenges such as dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder, which Zillmer suffered from. Another challenge they face is reintegrating into a less structured community while trying to find work and “just dealing with the overwhelming nature of war,” Fox added.
In 2012 the Surgeon General issued a report detailing the problem of suicide in the United States. Between 2001 and 2009, more than 33,000 Americans died from suicide each year, and according to the US Department of Health it is the leading cause of death for state residents between the ages of 10 and 24.
But these numbers don’t have to be so high, “90% of young people who complete suicide have a diagnosable and treatable mental health disorder,” Dan Fox said.
What that means is that if an individual can get the help they need, there is a good chance of recovery.
A lot of the time people don’t reach out for help. “People will call and hang up,” Fox said. Change can be intimidating, and fear can prevent people from seeking the help that they need, fear of judgment, or fear that nobody will understand.
The workshop is open to everyone, and will provide information on how to recognize that signs that someone may be contemplating suicide and what to do if a friend or someone you know may be struggling. It will also have resources available for anyone who may be contemplating suicide.