The key to prevention is your involvement.

Did You Know?

• Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death nationally and ranks above homicides and deaths from drunk driving.
• One suicide occurs every 16 minutes, with one attempt every minute...
• Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15 to 24-year-olds (article).
• The highest suicide rate is among Caucasian men over 50 who are not medically ill.
• Of the many millions of Americans who suffer from depression in any given year, over 80% can be effectively treated, but only 30% actually seek help, and of that number, slightly more than 15% are accurately diagnosed and effectively treated.
• Although most gun owners reportedly keep a firearm in their home for "protection" of "self-defense," 83% of gun related deaths in these homes are the result of a suicide, often by someone other than the gun owner.
• From suicides that occurred between 1970 and 1995, there are an estimated 4.53 million survivors in the U.S.; this number grows by 186,000 per year.
• The number one cause of suicide is depression undiagnosed, untreated, or ineffectively treated.
• The mission of Suicide Prevention Services is to save lives and restore hope through...
  • Prevention
    • to maintain a well researched, highly skilled public health campaign about suicide and how to detect warning signs and intervene with loved ones.
    • to conduct local educational forums to keep the general sector and professionals informed about the latest knowledge in the treatment of high-risk individuals.
  • Intervention
    • to maintain existing crises intervention teams in the community and integrate these services further into the natural networks of all community organizations.
    • to expand intervention to all settings and the earliest warning signs, rather than waiting for life-threatening crises.
    • to increase the capacity for all services and organizations to screen for depression and high-risk behavior.
    • to coordinate consultation with all settings in order to create innovative intervention teams and models to support and treat attempters of suicide.
  • Postvention
    • to provide compassionate support to families and friends who have lost someone to suicide and to honor the memory of those who have died by suicide.
    • to eliminate the stigma, guilt, and shame of suicide.
  • How to Help
    • Question: Stay and ask the person if they are suicidal.
    • Persuade: Listen carefully and let the person talk. Take what is said seriously. Assist them in looking for alternative resources.
    • Refer: Convince the other person to look for help immediately. Go with them.
    • Call Suicide Prevention Services at 630-482-9696 to schedule a "Question, Persuade, Refer" public education presentation for your school, church, organization, or workplace.

Stephanie L. Weber, SPS Director

Stephanie with her Grandson, Ryan.

Stephanie founded Survivors of Suicide, a 20-year-old self-help group. As a well-known suicidologist, grief counselor, speaker and crisis coach, her calendar gratifies. She is the founder and former Executive Director of the A.A.S.-approved Crisis Line of the Fox Valley, a 24/7 hotline for all callers who get ample care from highly trained volunteer para-professionals. She is a member of the board of directors of the American Association of Suicidology, the center of the regional 1-800-SUICIDE for Hopeline, and a member of the Illinois Counselors Association. Stephanie received "Survivor of the Year 2000" from AAS. She accepted the Kane County "Hidden Hero" award in 2000. She is the current Survivor Chair of the American Association of Suicidology. Ellen Weber, Stephanie's widowed mother, took her own life in 1979.

Stephanie with her husband Bill Harding at SPS Dinner Auction in 2004

Stephanie has spoken at forums and meetings held across the United States. She has appeared on radio and television programs and many talk shows. She mothers four adult children, and grandmothers four granddaughters and one grandson. She seizes time to upgrade the 100+ year-old home she shares with her husband and two aging cats and to plain-dirt flower garden. She teaches Suicide Prevention at the local community college each semester when not selling Longaberger baskets or knitting prize items. She has written for Before Their Time by Mary and Maureen Stimming and shared two videos, Hope for Healing and Help Those You Care For with Iris Bolton. She, and her allies, agree to hold workshops and seminars in close and far places of North America.

Honors and awards that Stephanie has received are as follows:

• 1987 - First Annual Governor's Volunteer Award: Outstanding Director in a not-for-profit program in the State of Illinois (presented by Gov. James Thompson)
• 1992 - Women in Management, Aurora Chapter, Woman of Achievement
• 1992 - National Charlotte Danstrom Woman of Achievement Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Not-For-Profit/Social Services Category
• 1994 - YWCA Woman of Distinction
• 1999 - National Association of Social Workers - Fox Valley - Citizen of the Year
• 2000 - Kane County Public Health Dept., Hidden Hero
• 2000 - American Association of Suicidology, National Survivor of the Year
• 2006 - Grassroots Award from SPAN-USA