Although state-wide numbers have decreased, suicides in Bristol County continue to increase. To address this public health concern, the Bristol County Regional Coalition for Suicide Prevention (BCRCSP), the Bristol County District Attorney's Office, the Greater New Bedford Suicide Prevention Coalition, and Community Counseling of Bristol County are working to reverse that trend. Those who attended the every-other-month Community Partnership meeting on July 6, 2015 at St. Vincent's  organized by United Neighbors of Fall River heard a presentation by Annemarie Matulis, Director of the Coalition in advance of a press conference to be held on July 20th at the Taunton Holiday Inn to draw attention to the problem. "Suicide rates are highest among white men," noted Matulis, "and we're looking at ways of identifying those with a potential for suicide early enough to intervene," she added. Matulis is looking for anyone interested in forming a Greater Fall River Coalition. Click here for a 24-minute video of her presentation. Click here for the Herald News article. Click here for an article about on-line assessment resource. Click here for an outline on how to form a Suicide Prevention Coalition. Click here for an intervention matrix. Click here for a MA Suicide Fact Sheet.  For more information, contact Annemarie Matulis at 508-992-7278.

(Top row) Bristol County Regional Coalition for Suicide Prevention Director Annemarie Matulis outlines the rationale for the formation of the Coalition and describes how it works. (Middle row) Ms. Matulis goes over the specific information about suicides in Bristol County and the need for the formation of a coalition to serve the Greater Fall River Area, similar to ones in New Bedford and Taunton. (Bottom row) Community Partnership participants ask questions and go over information about some of the upcoming trainings.