FILE PHOTO -- Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski (Jacob Wiegand, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski and Youth City Government are inviting families to attend a suicide awareness and prevention event this weekend.
“Start the Conversation” is a collaborative effort between the Mayor’s Office and other organizations to address what they call an epidemic of suicide, as well as school and gun violence. Mayor Biskupski says talking about the issue will help break down existing stigmas, and hopefully save lives.
Reports suggest suicide is the leading cause of kids ages 11-17 in Utah — nearly three times the national average.
Everyone is invited to attend, but event organizers hope they mostly see families with children ages 10-17 in attendance.
The event kicks off at 9:00 a.m. Saturday, September 8, 2018, in the Sorenson Unity Center at 1383 S. 900 W.
If you, or anyone you know, are struggling with depression or thoughts of suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK or the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386