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September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month – a time to raise awareness of this stigmatized – and often taboo – topic.

The Dare County Board of Commissioners proclaimed the special month at its Sept. 6, 2022 meeting. The proclamation “calls upon the citizens of Dare County to increase their awareness and understanding of the problems we face regarding mental health concerns and suicide.”

In the most recent Dare County Community Health Needs Assessment, it was noted that suicide is the eighth leading cause of death in Dare County and the second leading cause of death among individuals 20-39 years of age, states a media release.

The Breaking Through Task Force, Saving Lives Task Force, Be Resilient OBX and Dare County Department of Health & Human Services have teamed up to host a town hall event in September. The event will feature the recently filmed documentary Shattering the Silence: A Documentary about Suicide in Dare County.

The goal of the event is to provide individuals with a basic understanding of the impacts of suicide in Dare County. While ensuring that individuals, friends and families have access to the resources they need to learn about, discuss suicide prevention and to seek help.

The event will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at First Flight High School in Kill Devil Hills. Light refreshments will be provided.

Attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy refreshments and explore resources in Dare County related to mental health at 5:30 p.m. The documentary will air at 6:15 p.m. with a question and answers panel to follow. Panel participants are Benny Baldwin, documentary videographer; Christie McEwan, Outer Banks Counseling Services; Susan Lee, documentary counselor; Keith Hamm, Mobile Crisis; Stephanie Webb, Trillium; Dr. Ashley Clower, Surf Medicine & Dare County Department of Health & Human Services board member.

For more information about this event, contact Roxana Ballinger at 252-475-5619 or Roxana.Ballinger@darenc.com.

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