at the First Flight High School, located at 100 Veterans Dr. The video will be aired at a special town hall meeting on Tuesday, September 27 at 5:30 p.m. The group will also produce a documentary-style video featuring individuals who have attempted suicide or have lost a loved one. This year, the group is working to expand the outreach and will use social media platforms to share messages on suicide prevention throughout September. Some resisted using the word “suicide.” This helped the task force recognize the need for education and awareness about suicide and that it is a problem in Dare County. Prior to COVID-19 the task force rolled out a suicide prevention awareness campaign called “Chalk About It.” Organizations were provided sidewalk chalk to write positive messages about suicide prevention. Nettnin is a certified youth mental health first aid trainer who provides training on intervention and assistance for people who are depressed, anxious or at risk for suicide. She began as a substance abuse worker and currently oversees a number of mental health initiatives. Kelly Nettnin, Dare County’s Health and Human Services health education and outreach supervisor and chairwoman for the Breaking Through Task Force, has more than 15 years of service as a Dare County mental health provider. Dare County’s 2020 death rate for suicide was 44 percent higher than the rate for North Carolina. Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death in Dare County. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth in North Carolina ages 10 to 18 and the third leading cause of death for those ages 19 to 34. The North Carolina State Center for Health Statistics reports that 2,679 people visited an emergency department from January to March 2022 due to self-inflicted injuries. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2020 45,979 people took their own life, an estimated 1.2 million attempted suicide, 3.2 million planned a suicide attempt and 12.2 million American adults seriously thought about suicide.

People from all genders, socioeconomic statuses, ages, ethnicities and religious affiliations die from suicide.

Carolina outreach