COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – June is Pride Month and the local LGBTQ+ community is shining a light on a serious issue many people face: suicide.
The Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation is hosting a webinar.
Leaders there said suicide stems mainly from minority stress such as discrimination, harassment, and rejection because of one’s identity.
The foundation is bringing in Andrea Kaniuka from the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte to help everyone understand these risks.
“I really don’t think people realize just how dramatically higher the rates are, so I think that’s just one thing, really covering the scope of the problem for people,” Kaniuka said. “Obviously within an hour-long webinar, I can only do so much, but I’m really trying to tailor to different groups by providing different resources for mental health professionals, school personnel, healthcare professionals, and also parents and other allies.”
The webinar begins at 1 p.m. Wednesday and costs $25 per person.
For more information, click here.