| Survivors of Suicide Support Group |
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Berlin, Md. – Recovery following the loss of a loved one to suicide is a painful and complicated journey through grief. Family and friends must cope with thoughts and feelings they may have never experienced. Coming to terms with their loss can be very difficult when faced alone. Regardless of the age, relationship or tragic circumstances surrounding their loss, there are others who understand.
You are not alone. The Jesse Klump Memorial Scholarship Fund and the Worcester County Health Department have partnered to host monthly support group meetings for those left behind by suicide. Meetings will be held at 6 p.m. on the third Wednesday each month beginning September 21 at the Berlin office of the Health Department, 9730 Healthway Drive adjacent to Atlantic General Hospital. Meetings will be conducted by a trained facilitator and a licensed social worker.
“We wanted to create a welcoming place of compassion and understanding,” said scholarship fund President Kim Klump, who lost her son to suicide in 2009. “It can be a huge relief to talk openly about suicide with people who really understand.” Klump trained in support group management through a program sponsored by the America Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Anyone who has lost a friend or family member is invited to attend at no cost. Support group meetings are casual, attended only by survivors and facilitators.
“Family members and friends often feel stigmatized because suicide is not a topic most people are comfortable discussing,” said Alisa Crockett, a licensed clinical social worker who supervises the health department’s Suicide Prevention Program. “This can lead to feelings of isolation as individuals attempt to manage their grief and pain alone. We are very pleased to be partnering with the JKMSF to provide this service to the families in our community who have suffered a loss due to suicide.”
The Jesse Klump Memorial Scholarship Fund was created to memorialize the life of a Snow Hill High School senior. Initially, the fund’s mission was to provide financial aid to a member of the graduating class who excelled in the classroom, but more importantly, demonstrated a level of compassion and character beyond his or her age, and intent to use education to make the world a better place.
“In addition to our scholarship, we need to do more than help just one student each year,” said Fund Officer Ron Pilling. “Our goal is to find and train a program director whose job it will be to teach the warning signs of a youth in crisis in schools, churches, and anyplace where people who care about children and youths may gather. Presentations will teach how to recognize the signs and symptoms of a youth at risk for suicide, how to access appropriate care for a suicidal youth and how to ensure safety until professionals arrive on the scene.”
For more information about the Survivors of Suicide support groups call the WCHD at 410-629-0164. For information on the JKMSF call (443) 982-2716 or visit www.jessespaddle.org.
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