$65 million to reduce suicides
by 10% within four years
Sixty-five million. This is the amount that the Legault government will allocate to its new national suicide prevention strategy, with the "ambitious" goal of reducing the number of deaths due to suicides by 10% within four years. An announcement well received by the community, which however asks that the money go to the right places.
"There are still too many suicides in Quebec. We are talking about a little more than 1000 suicides per year in Quebec. And bring that back a day, three suicides a day. This is already far too much," said Health Minister Christian Dubé, whose friends have been affected by the "suicide of children". "We all know about it, and the statistics speak for themselves," he said.
In particular, Quebec wants to fall below the 1,000 deaths by suicide by 2026. Without setting numerical targets, the authorities also say they aim to "reduce the prevalence of suicidal ideation" and suicide attempts within a four-year horizon. Mr. Dubé acknowledges that a 10% reduction in four years is an "ambitious" goal. "You could also say that reducing one each time is a success. But our ultimate goal should be zero. [...] We must always do better," he said.
According to the most recent observations of the Office of the Chief Coroner of Quebec, compiled by the Institut national de santé publique (INSPQ), it is estimated that 1016 Quebecers ended their lives in 2020. For now, it would be 112 fewer suicides than in 2019. That year, 1128 people committed suicide in Quebec. In 2018, this figure was 1094. Data for 2021 are not yet available. The most affected currently are those aged 50 to 64, especially among men.
The executive director of the Association québécoise de prévention du suicide (AQPS), Jérôme Gaudreault, applauded the announcement. "It is time to give ourselves new means to ensure that we experience a new spectacular decline," he said, worrying that the province has "stagnated" in recent years in the decrease in suicides. "We have a vision: to build a Quebec without suicide. It's very ambitious, but we firmly believe in it," Insisted Mr. Gaudreault, calling on the government to give "the flexibility and tools to communities so that they can organize themselves."
Michael Sheehan, co-chair of the Collective for a National Suicide Prevention Strategy, said "big gains are within our reach." "A Quebec without suicides is possible, on one condition: that we all pool our resources and work together. And we are able to do it," said the man who lost one of his children to suicide. "We need to ensure access to services across the province. Living at the end of the North Shore and living in Montreal is not the same thing," said the other co-president of the Collective, Lorraine Deschênes, also bereaved by suicide.
Standardize the request for helpIn concrete terms, the 2022-2026 National Strategy – which is part of Minister Dubé's Health Plan – pursues several major objectives. One of the aims of it is to standardize the demand for help, especially among men, by providing more information on existing resources.
The Minister's Office indicates that it wants to pay particular attention to the "possible perverse effects" of awareness-raising activities among the population, by informing the population and the media about good practices to adopt when suicide is addressed in the public space.
Quebec also intends to follow the evolution of the means used by Quebecers to kill themselves, citing in particular the number of overdoses or "access to high places and other structures". Last December, La Presse reported that an upsurge in suicide attempts has prompted the Signature on the St. Lawrence Group (SSLG) to "initiate a reflection" on safety at the Samuel De Champlain Bridge (CSDP). Several experts were concerned about the increase in distress throughout society in recent months.
In the health network, the authorities also want to raise awareness among doctors and any other professional "of the risks represented by the use of certain drugs" in the context of suicidal behavior. Finally, the Legault government aims to develop a mechanism allowing it to systematically contact families and loved ones following a death by suicide.
The new government's new national strategy is the result of a broad consultation process that has been conducted in recent months with several organizations in the health and social services network, professional orders, research groups and labour organizations, among others.
With the collaboration of Fanny Lévesque, La Presse
In particular, Quebec wants to fall below the 1,000 deaths by suicide by 2026. Without setting numerical targets, the authorities also say they aim to "reduce the prevalence of suicidal ideation" and suicide attempts within a four-year horizon. Mr. Dubé acknowledges that a 10% reduction in four years is an "ambitious" goal. "You could also say that reducing one each time is a success. But our ultimate goal should be zero. [...] We must always do better," he said.
According to the most recent observations of the Office of the Chief Coroner of Quebec, compiled by the Institut national de santé publique (INSPQ), it is estimated that 1016 Quebecers ended their lives in 2020. For now, it would be 112 fewer suicides than in 2019. That year, 1128 people committed suicide in Quebec. In 2018, this figure was 1094. Data for 2021 are not yet available. The most affected currently are those aged 50 to 64, especially among men.
The executive director of the Association québécoise de prévention du suicide (AQPS), Jérôme Gaudreault, applauded the announcement. "It is time to give ourselves new means to ensure that we experience a new spectacular decline," he said, worrying that the province has "stagnated" in recent years in the decrease in suicides. "We have a vision: to build a Quebec without suicide. It's very ambitious, but we firmly believe in it," Insisted Mr. Gaudreault, calling on the government to give "the flexibility and tools to communities so that they can organize themselves."
Michael Sheehan, co-chair of the Collective for a National Suicide Prevention Strategy, said "big gains are within our reach." "A Quebec without suicides is possible, on one condition: that we all pool our resources and work together. And we are able to do it," said the man who lost one of his children to suicide. "We need to ensure access to services across the province. Living at the end of the North Shore and living in Montreal is not the same thing," said the other co-president of the Collective, Lorraine Deschênes, also bereaved by suicide.
Standardize the request for helpIn concrete terms, the 2022-2026 National Strategy – which is part of Minister Dubé's Health Plan – pursues several major objectives. One of the aims of it is to standardize the demand for help, especially among men, by providing more information on existing resources.
The Minister's Office indicates that it wants to pay particular attention to the "possible perverse effects" of awareness-raising activities among the population, by informing the population and the media about good practices to adopt when suicide is addressed in the public space.
Quebec also intends to follow the evolution of the means used by Quebecers to kill themselves, citing in particular the number of overdoses or "access to high places and other structures". Last December, La Presse reported that an upsurge in suicide attempts has prompted the Signature on the St. Lawrence Group (SSLG) to "initiate a reflection" on safety at the Samuel De Champlain Bridge (CSDP). Several experts were concerned about the increase in distress throughout society in recent months.
In the health network, the authorities also want to raise awareness among doctors and any other professional "of the risks represented by the use of certain drugs" in the context of suicidal behavior. Finally, the Legault government aims to develop a mechanism allowing it to systematically contact families and loved ones following a death by suicide.
The new government's new national strategy is the result of a broad consultation process that has been conducted in recent months with several organizations in the health and social services network, professional orders, research groups and labour organizations, among others.
With the collaboration of Fanny Lévesque, La Presse
HENRI OUELLETTE-VÉZINA
LA PRESSE
$65 million to reduce suicides by 10% within four years | The Press (lapresse.ca)
LA PRESSE
$65 million to reduce suicides by 10% within four years | The Press (lapresse.ca)
