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Rural Suicide: One California County’s Fight To Save Lives

 

A rural pocket of Northern California is seeing some of the highest rates of suicide in the state. We’re exploring the mental health crisis in Amador County, and what’s being done to solve it.

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CapRadio health care reporter Sammy Caiola is spending six months exploring the high rate of suicide in Amador County and how residents are trying to tackle it.

Like neighboring Calaveras and Mariposa counties — and other rural places throughout Northern California — residents here are at greater risk for suicide than their urban peers. Her project will delve into why people take their own lives, and what solutions might help.

Through personal stories from people directly affected and conversations with those working on prevention, she discovers why those experiencing depression, anxiety, addiction, isolation and other challenges associated with rural living often suffer in silence.

If you or someone you know needs help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Additional resources for those in Amador County and beyond, including programs for youth, seniors, veterans and Native Americans, can be found here.

This project is funded by a USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism grant.

Podcast Episodes

  • Vanessa S. Nelson / Capital Public Radio

    The ‘S’ Word: How Suicide Is Devastating Amador County And Rural Communities

    Monday, September 10, 2018
    Amador has the third-highest suicide rate of any county in California — about three times the state average and the top 20 counties on the list are some of the most remote and least populous places in the state.
  • Vanessa S. Nelson / Capital Public Radio

    Dying To Get Out: Stigma, ‘Copycat Effect’ Drive Youth Suicide In Rural Amador County

    Tuesday, September 11, 2018
    Many young people say they don’t have a healthy way to express feelings of being trapped and misunderstood. And teens who live in remote places are more likely to seek a fatal escape.
  • Vanessa S. Nelson / Capital Public Radio

    Chronic Loneliness Is A Major Cause Of Suicide For Seniors, Especially in Rural California

    Wednesday, September 12, 2018
    It’s a health issue that presents a threat of early death equal to obesity. One-third of all people who took their lives in Amador County between 2010 and 2017 were over age 60.
  • Vanessa S. Nelson / Capital Public Radio

    How Suicide Trainings, Community Connections Could Patch Holes In Amador’s Mental Health Safety Net

    Thursday, September 13, 2018
    Amador County residents and social service providers say there’s a serious lack of services and awareness around mental illness in the community. They’re planning to use a special cache of leftover state funding to solve the problem.

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Vanessa S. Nelson / Capital Public Radio

Health Care

Why Veterans Face Heightened Suicide Risk In Amador County And Other Rural Areas

August 27, 2018 | Sammy Caiola

Veterans are about 22 percent more likely to die by suicide than the rest of the population, according to research from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Sammy Caiola / Capital Public Radio

Health Care

Native American Tribes In Amador County Lean On Ancient Medicine To Combat Suicide

August 16, 2018 | Sammy Caiola

Nationally, Native American young adults have higher suicide rates than any other group.

Vanessa S. Nelson / Capital Public Radio

Health Care

Where Are The Psychiatrists? Amador County And Rural California Hit Hardest By Physician Shortage.

August 12, 2018 | Sammy Caiola

The lack of mental-health professionals in rural areas, combined with geographic isolation, puts residents at heightened risk for suicide.

Vanessa S. Nelson / Capital Public Radio

A Problem, A Movement: What We’re Learning About Suicide In Amador County

July 17, 2018 | Sammy Caiola

Amador County has the third highest suicide rate in the state, and CapRadio wants to find out why. Here’s what we’ve learned so far.

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Stuart Rankin / Flickr

Reading List: Suicide In Rural America

June 22, 2018

CapRadio health care reporter Sammy Caiola has embarked on a six-month project to explore the high rates of suicide in Northern California’s rural communities. Here's a look at what she's reading on the topic.

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Preventing Suicide, One Conversation At A Time

Suicide is a difficult topic. A big part of confronting the problem is talking about it. This Conversation Kit can help.

Rural Suicide: Prevention Resources

Suicide is difficult to talk about, but there is help. Here are local, statewide, and national prevention resources, including programs for youth, seniors, veterans and Native Americans.

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