August 18th 2023.
The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention have entered into a two-year partnership in order to collectively address the growing suicide prevention and mental health challenges. The announcement was made at the Dr. Moses C. Norman, Sr. Leadership Conference which was held at Atlantis Paradise Island in Nassau, Bahamas on July 13, 2023.
The partnership comes as the CDC reported a 4.79% increase in the number of suicides in 2021 from 45,979 in 2020 to 48,183, making suicide the 11th leading cause of death in the U.S. Additionally, the suicide rate for Black males increased by 11%, the second highest increase by demographic and gender group.
42nd Grand Basileus, Ricky L. Lewis shared his thoughts on the partnership, “With over 200,000 college-educated members, this alliance speaks to the unseen needs of our members and their families. This issue is of tremendous concern in the Black community. This collaborative effort with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention will save countless lives for years yet to be seen.”
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is honored to be partnering with the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated. Through this partnership, they plan to prioritize mental health and suicide prevention in Black communities, both nationally and at a grassroots level. They plan to do this by hosting Out of the Darkness Walks and educational programming that is culturally relevant and reaches Black communities through faith-based channels.
The International Medical and Health Affairs Committee of Omega Psi Phi will soon announce specific measures and initiatives to support those struggling, people interested in helping their communities, and survivors of suicide loss. This news was first reported on blackprwire.com.
This partnership is a great step forward in the effort to reduce the rates of suicide in the Black community. Hopefully, with the resources offered by this partnership, more lives will be saved and more people will find the help they need.
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