MASSACHUSETTS: New suicide prevention website targets middle-aged men
June 26, 2015
When a report from the National Violent Death Reporting System last year showed that the suicide rate is rising among middle-aged men in Massachusetts, the state launched an initiative to encourage men with mental health challenges to seek help. The campaign includes the recent launch of MassMen.org, a website that offers self-administered mental health screening tools, information on local services, and a series of humorous “ManTherapy” videos. A billboard campaign and radio spots will also promote suicide prevention resources. Another approach that can reach this population is to work within male-dominated professions to offer support and reduce the stigma associated with needing mental or emotional help. For instance, Middlesex County Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian said that corrections officers have appreciated the introduction of peer support teams: “Even before we formalized the program, people were connecting with this team. We had to eventually add more officers to it.”
Spark Extra! Read about possible reasons for the high rates of suicide among U.S. Baby Boomers.