By David R. Shorey, East County Program Manager, Institute for Public Strategies

September 1, 2021 (San Diego’s East County)  -- September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. It’s not easy to talk about suicide. It’s often considered a taboo subject and frequently ignored. But according to the latest statistics from the National Institute of Mental Health, it is the second leading cause of death in the United States for those under 35 and in the top 10 causes of death for those over 35. Each of us can play a role in preventing deaths by suicide beyond simply raising awareness of the topic. One easy way is to complete an 8 hour course to become a Mental Health First Aid responder.