Suicide in Idaho and District 7 - This Week from Senator Carl Crabtree
Idaho is the 4th highest state in the union for suicides per capita. Our district is the highest in the state. What’s wrong?
What should we do? More of the same? Change tactics?
I don’t know the answers to all those questions, but I am trying to run down some ideas. First, we have thrown some money at it from the state. About $1 million for the last year and a half. No measurable results. I asked for a visit with the department head, and the person in charge of the suicide prevention program. They were very accommodating, but I am very impatient, so I wasn’t satisfied!
I have found that they have four full time employees but contract out all their work. That doesn’t make sense to me, needing four people to hire others to do the work? I am sure there is more to the story; I’ll be finding out.
I know some of you don’t think government should be in this business but if they are, they must be effective. We simply can’t allow our neighbors to commit suicide, while we say solving it will “take a lot of time.” The time is now! More to come.