September is Suicide Prevention Month. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) defines suicide as a fatality that is caused by “self-directed injurious behavior with intent to die…” Dan Parnell is a volunteer with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Washington County. They are an organization that aligns with the statewide and countrywide NAMI. In an interview with The Journal, he revealed that suicides and attempts were “rising” during the early 2000s. Data projected on the NIMH’s website justified his claim: “The total age-adjusted suicide rate in the United States increased 35.2 percent from 10.5 [people] per 100,000 [people] in 1999 to 14.2 per 100,000 in 2018…”

Parnell recalled the local response to the increasing suicide rates: “I think people in Washington County, and in particular, in the schools became aware of it quite significantly. And each of the school districts kind of had their own program to try and work on suicide prevention.”

In 2019, the nationwide age-adjusted suicide rate declined to 13.9 per 100,000 people. Parnell stated, “We believe that it’s as a result of things like this effort where we continue to talk about it and make people know…that their lives are valuable, worth living, and that there are tools that they can they can use to try and keep themselves from…acting that way.”

The “effort” that Parnell alluded to is the “My Ascension” Screening and Panel Discussion. Arranging the event is Merri Guggisberg. She is the youth and family education coordinator of Youth Service Bureau. After speaking with Guggisberg, it is clear that the “My Ascension” Screening and Panel Discussion will be more than a movie night.

Resource tables will open at the top of the evening. Local agencies and clinics will have a presence then. Among them are SoWashCo CARES, Central Pediatrics, Canvas Health, Ellie Family Services, the Washington County Mobile Crisis Unit, Children’s Grief Connection, and Brighter Days. Local law enforcement and one of their support dogs will also make an appearance. “We have over 20 partners in care that are going to have resource tables,” Guggisberg summed up. “They’re all with a focus of caring for people around suicide, education, and mostly prevention.”

Once the clock strikes 6:30 p.m., the screening of “My Ascension” will begin. “My Ascension” is a documentary that tells Emma Benoit’s story. She was 16 years old when she survived a suicide attempt. Parnell has watched the film. He expressed what he imagines “My Ascension” will mean to guests: “I think there is a measure of hopefulness that comes out of her tragedy. And my hope is that people will recognize without having to go through…the things that she did that life is worth fighting through the moments where you feel like you can’t go on.”

Guggisberg caught wind of the movie during a workshop with Mental Health America. She ensured that showing it will ease the public into suicide awareness. “It’s an education[al] movie, but it also could be an opportunity for family dialogue so that a family now is building their tools…We just know that anytime we can have the opportunity to do education-and this is a hard topic to talk about-we don’t know where to start, especially when we’re talking suicide prevention. And if we can use a film that is hope-filled, it removes one of those barriers…”

Once “My Ascension” ends, an expert panel and moderator will take the stage. They will answer questions among guests for 30 minutes. Guggisberg phrased it this way: “We’re watching a film that is promoted all the way across the United States…So we’re taking this nationally made message and the panel makes it personal.”

Dr. Renee Penticoff of Suicide Prevention Collaborative, Dr. Daniel Khoury of Central Pediatrics in Woodbury, and Career Suicidologist Chris Caulkins have confirmed their participation in the panel discussion. Guggisberg is hoping to place a counselor from East Ridge High School on it, too. Lacey Thompson is the behavioral health specialist at Youth Service Bureau. She will be moderating the panel discussion.

At approximately 8:30 p.m., the moments detailed above will have passed. Even so, the resource tables will remain open until 9 p.m.

Parnell and Guggisberg hope that young adults and their parents attend the “My Ascension” Screening and Panel Discussion. “It’s really important that parents recognize the challenges that young people face and the ways that they may feel…in later grades of school,” insisted Parnell. “Parents get a little bit out of touch with their young people and aren’t sure how to talk about things…with this gravity…my hope is that it’ll be a way for young people and their parents to talk about those challenges… and make sure that [parents] can be supportive.”

With that, the event may be too mature for some. The recommended audience is eighth graders, high schoolers, and adults.

There are a couple of steps that one should follow if they wish to partake in the evening. First, they can register for free on www.eventbrite.com/e/my-ascension- documentary-panel-discussion-resource-tables-tickets- 161147874631?aff=ebdssbdestsearch . Next, they should navigate to East Ridge High School (4200 Pioneer Drive Woodbury, MN 55129) by 6.pm. on Tuesday, Oct. 5.

Guggisberg would nudge readers to take those steps. She is sure that the documentary will “equip” one to genuinely care for and build suicide prevention within the community. “Trust me, I think anytime I get to present in front of people, I just feel so honored that…people are taking the time to come and learn, and…they also see it of value,” agreed Guggisberg. “Yeah, it’s good.”