| Crisis Hotlines |
| National Foundation for Suicide Prevention
visit the Web site Phone: 1-800-273-8255 |
| Samaritan Hospital Suicide Prevention
Hotline (CONTACT LIfeline) Phone: 518-689-4673 or 800-273-8255 M-F, 9 a.m.-10 p.m. / Sat. & Sun. 1-10 p.m. |
| Crisis Chatline
visit the Web site M-F, 12-6 p.m. |
| Additional resources |
| Community resources for parents, students and staff |
| Bereavement resources |
| Outpatient services |
Throughout the fall of 2009, GCSD
students, families, and staff members came together to try to cope with a
student suicide. Undoubtedly, there are still
strong emotions surrounding this loss. The district's crisis team has met to
discuss some serious and lingering issues that may have emanated from this
event, including issues of depression, anxiety, and students expressing
suicidal thoughts. We have been working closely with mental health
professionals from our community and around the region to address these
continuing concerns.
As such, we are reaching out to students, parents, and
the greater community to recognize and connect with those in need.
Suicide and related mental health concerns are societal issues, and your
child may have been affected by this recent tragedy, even if he or she did
not know the student well. In particular, it is important to recognize and
address a phenomenon known as suicide contagion, in which one person’s
suicide may lead to other suicides or suicide attempts. As you may recall,
this scenario played out tragically in a neighboring community. We
want to do everything in our power to prevent this from happening within our
school community. Partnering with families and regional mental health
professionals to provide resources and education on mental health issues is
key to ensuring the well-being of our students—we are all in this together.
It is very important to take a moment to talk with your child about what has
happened. Discussing thoughts and feelings about death is an important step
toward helping him/her work through grief or concerns. Please also consider
monitoring and discussing your child’s communications (Facebook, phone,
e-mail, text messaging) to further assess his or her potential needs.
Some high-risk indicators for suicide may include:
• Talking about suicide
• Trouble eating or sleeping
• Drastic changes in behavior
• Withdrawal from friends and/or social activities or hobbies
• Losing interest in hobbies
• School, or personal appearance
• Giving away prized possessions or appearing to be “saying goodbye
• History of suicidal behavior
• Taking unnecessary risks; or having had a recent severe loss of friends or family
• Having had a recent severe loss of friends or family
If you feel your child needs to speak to a guidance counselor, social worker or other adult, please feel free to call your child’s school or direct them to stop into their school building main office. In addition, there are a number of community resources available to offer assistance to those in need listed below.
Community resources for parents, students and staff:
Albany County Mobil Crisis Team
(click on the name to visit the Web site)
Capital District Psychiatric Center
Judith Sharp, RNP, Coordinator
75 New Scotland Avenue
Albany, NY 12208
Phone: 518-447-9650
*24-hour emergency mental health assessment in the community
*Access to Child and Adolescent Mobile Crisis Team
Ellis Hospital
Emergency Room
1101 Nott Street
Schenectady, NY 12308
Phone: 518-243-3300
* 24-hour emergency mental health assessment
* Access to Child and Adolescent Mobile Crisis Team
Crisis Center/Outpatient Service
Phone: 518-243-4306 or 243-1300 (Dr. Stephonie)
Albany County Department for Children, Youth, and Families Children's Mental
Health Clinic
(click on the name to visit the Web site)
Moira Manning, Director
260 South Pearl Street
Albany, NY 12202
Phone: 518-447-4550
* Crisis assessment, triage, ongoing counseling, and emergency on-call
* Access to Child and Adolescent Mobile Crisis Team
Parsons Child and
Adolescent Mobile Crisis Team
93 Academy Road
Albany, NY 12208
Phone: 518-447-9650 or 518-447-4550
* Responds to calls in Albany, Rensselaer, and Schenectady Counties
* Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
* Crisis assessment; intervention & stabilization; consultation and
information; facilitation of alternate levels of care
BOCES-CAPIT
Contact: Laura Combs
Phone: 518-464-3944
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Community
Hospice - Wave Riders
(click on the name to visit the Web site)
Bereavement resources for children and teens
445 New Karner Road
Albany, NY 12205
Phone: 518-724-0200 or 800-678-0711
Family and Child Service of Schenectady Inc.
(click on the name to visit the Web site)
Counseling Program
246 Union Street
Schenectady, NY 12305
Phone: 518-393-1369
Fax: 518-393-3601
Contact: Maria Sunukjian, Executive Director
Haven Grief Counseling Center
(click on the name to visit the Web site)
Grieving Children’s Program
703 Union Street
Schenectady, NY 12305
Phone: 518-370-1666
Fax: 518-370-1917
American Foundation for Suicide
(click on the name to visit the Web site)
Prevention, Capital Region Chapter
P. O. Box 2143
Ballston Spa, NY 12020
Contact: Mary Jean Coleman, Regional Director
National Director of Field Programs
Phone: 518-899-0021
Contact: Marisa LaFrance, Area Director
Phone: 518-289-5183
Child Guidance Center Northeast Parent and Child
Society
(click on the name to visit the Web site)
530 Franklin Street
Schenectady, NY 12304
Phone: 518-381-8911
Contact: Joe Gallagher, Director
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Ellis Hospital Outpatient Services
(click on the name to visit the Web site)
Crisis Center/Outpatient Service
1101 Nott Street
Schenectady, NY 12308
Phone: 518-243-4306 or 243-1300 (Dr. Stephonie)
Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Department
624 McClellan Street
Suite 202 (2nd Floor)
Schenectady, NY 12304
Phone: 518-382-2290
Karner Psychological Associates
(click on the name to visit the Web site)
2280 Western Ave.
Guilderland, NY 12084
Phone: 518-456-5056
Pinnacle Place
Behavioral Health
1 Pinnacle Place
Albany, NY 12203
Phone: 518-689-0244
Albany County Adult
Mental Health
260 South Pearl Street
Albany, NY 12202
Phone: 518-447-4555
Contact: Katie Flannigan
Parsons Child and
Family Guidance Clinic
102 Hackett Blvd.
Albany, NY 12209
Centralized Intake Phone: 518-426-2622
Clinic Phone: 518-431-1650
Family and
Children's Services
650 Warren Street
Albany, NY 12208
Phone: 518-462-6531
Capital District
Psychiatric Center
Child and Adolescent Outpatient Services
75 New Scotland Avenue
Albany, NY 12208
Phone: 518-447-9647
SUNY Psychological
Services Center
299 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12206
Phone: 518-442-4900
Capital District Behavioral
Health
20 Century Hill Drive
Suite 202
Latham, NY 12110
Phone: 518-785-7283
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