Teen Suicide, Depression to be Discussed at Arlington Community Forum

ARLINGTON, MA - In a recent Arlington school survey, 11 percent of high school students, and 15 percent of middle school students reported serious thoughts of suicide in the past 30 days.

“Depression and anxiety run rampant in teenagers nationally, and Arlington is no different,” said Andrea Razi, Arlington High School’s Intervention Coordinator and Social Worker, in a statement.

The Arlington Youth Health and Safety Coalition, Arlington Public Schools and the Arlington Youth Counseling Center, will host a community forum on suicide prevention and depression awareness.

The forum will be held from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 28, at Arlington High School, 869 Massachusetts Ave. During the weeks leading up to the event, Arlington High School students will discuss depression, suicide awareness and prevention from a Samaritans educator.

The “Mental Health Awareness Night” event will feature a special screening of the documentary film, “You Are Not Alone,” followed by a panel discussion about the relation between mental health problems and the opioid epidemic.

“Substance abuse and mental health are so closely related, the two go hand-in-hand,” said Ivy Laplante, Director of the Arlington Youth Health and Safety Coalition. “In order for our work in substance abuse prevention to be fruitful, we must also place an emphasis on mental health promotion.”

Stephanie Leydon, a WGBH reporter most recently known for her coverage of the opioid crisis and mental health issues in the Greater Boston area, will moderate the panel discussion..

Forum participants will learn how they can support their family members and about the lifesaving suicide prevention work provided by Samaritans, Inc., including stories from those who have lost a loved one to suicide, and testimonials from Samaritans’ volunteers and experts.

Forum’s Panel:

• Lauren Gablinske, Manager, Community Education and Outreach - ‎Samaritans Inc.
• Andrea Razi, LICSW, Intervention Coordinator/Social Worker - Arlington High School
• Nanci Siegel, Ottoson Middle School Guidance Counselor
• Linda Suzuki, LICSW, Therapist - Arlington Youth Counseling Center

For more information about the event, contact Andrea Razi at arazi@arlington.k12.ma.us.

Sign-up for your free Arlington Patch daily newsletter and news alerts, follow Arlington Patch on Facebook, or send newstips to arlington@patch.com.

Information: Town of Arlington