Our Mission
Data from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in 2018 shows that Maine has a higher suicide rate than the nation’s average: 15.74 per 1000,000 in Maine vs 13.43 nationally. The Centers For Disease Control says suicide rates increased in almost all 50 states in the past 2 decades. In Maine, the suicide rate is up more than 27 percent since 2008, ranking 14th for the highest rates in the US (CDC). Every year, suicide kills more than 200 people in Maine, including the loved ones in our community. Many are under 20. Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for 15- to -34-year-olds in Maine. This data does not include attempted suicides. The average number of suicide attempts per year is 2,520 in Maine. A new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control found that the pandemic has had a much deeper impact on young people than expected. According to the US, CDC, "emergency department visits involving suspected suicide attempts were up 50.6 percent among girls ages 12-17 years old during the pandemic. Among boys that same age, those visits were up 3.7 percent" (News Center Maine). It's happening here in Maine, too. Suicide has become a public health crisis in Maine. It has devastated the families who lost their loved ones and greatly affected our entire community. It’s a tough issue. More preventive measures need to be taken immediately to reduce suicide.
Our goal is to stop suicide and save lives. We did research and found many people who attempted suicide were sent to an emergency room for immediate treatment. Those people's risk of another suicide attempt within the next 6 months increases dramatically due to the lack of follow-up care they need. Research shows that simple follow-up care can reduce suicide greatly. We used Computer Science skills to create an interactive Follow-up Care Website. On it, we incorporated two apps among other preventive measures: Chatroom and Message. Message app serves as a way for clinical staff to send automated & personalized messages to the discharged patients to check in with them. Chatroom is a place for individualized discussions among 3-5 people grouped by ages, interests, etc., monitored by clinical professionals. The application form to join the Chatroom can be filled out online and is strictly screened. It is a safe, judgment-free place for them to open up and share their stories with people who care.
The website also serves as a way to break the suicide taboo or stigma. People who have depression, mental illness or suicidal thoughts feel ashamed. They usually hide or suffer from it silently. Students who suffer from mental illness often feel depressed and feel that they don’t belong. The feeling that you don’t belong to any group is one of the worst feelings in the world and can lead to depression and even suicidal thoughts. We think those students shouldn’t feel ashamed or face their problems alone anymore. It is time we take actions to help those students to fight against mental illness, depression, and suicide.
Our website serves as a platform for those students and people in our community to discuss their problems, and share their thoughts and feelings freely. Together we will break the stigma and create a safe environment for those people.
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