By JULIE CUNNINGHAM

(Franklin County, MA) – Suicide rates in Franklin County are the highest in the state, according to John Barber Western MA area Forensic Director and Statewide Coordinator of CITY-TTAC Programs, at the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health. Suicide rates in Franklin County are 17 per 100,000, almost double the state average. While suicide rates in Massachusetts are comparably low to the national average, youth rates in Franklin County are also high at 10 per 100,000. Barber feels the COVID-19 pandemic will exacerbate the problem. Barber urges the community to be aware of the opportunities to prevent suicide both in professional and personal lives.

“Opportunities to make an impact are everywhere in the community,” said Barber.

Kristal Cleaver, Director of Community Education at Clinical &Support Options, is worried about the emotional toll of the COVID-19 pandemic. “One thing is we know COVID is going to have an affect on people physically but we know it will have an affect on people emotionally,” said Cleaver. For the most part, CSO is keeping up with demand and offering same day or next day virtual appointments during the pandemic, but wait time for children can be one to two weeks.

Dan Sontag, Crisis/Respite Director for CSO, thinks that the tone of the calls coming in is changing. Sontag said that despite the perception that there might be a spike in a surge in people calling in and needing services, that hasn’t been the case. People are a bit more stressed out an anxious, but interventions are lower.

“We are all in this together,” said Sontag.

Nancy Parland, Clinic Supervisor at the Center for Human Development, is worried about staff during this time. For some reason, tele-health support is proving tiring for her staff in a different way than in person face to face services. Despite the challenges, referrals are being dealt with quickly. Working with children during the pandemic has its up and downs for CHD, in some ways families are move involved Parland said but additional challenges arise.

For resources available through the Commonwealth for mental health and well being, click here. To reach the National Suicide Prevention Hotline call 1-800-273-8255. To reach the Samaritans Statewide Hotline in Massachusetts call 1-877-870-4673.