Yellowstone Times

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Montana State University is set to host a virtual forum on Montana's suicide crisis. Scheduled for February 14, the event will take place via Zoom from noon to 1:30 p.m. It is free and open to the public.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics, Montana leads the nation in death rates by suicide. Tracy Rassley, programs manager for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention chapters in Montana and Wyoming, will discuss contributing factors to this high rate and prevention efforts.

Rassley will be accompanied by a member of the Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors (LOSS) program in Lewis and Clark County. The discussion will cover the establishment of Montana's first LOSS chapter and explore whether Gallatin County could benefit from forming its own chapter to support those grieving after a loved one's suicide.

OLLI at MSU Friday Forums occur monthly on the second Friday from September through May. Interested participants must register at montana.edu/olli or on Zoom by February 14 at 11 a.m. Upon registration confirmation, participants will receive an email with a Zoom link and instructions.

OLLI at MSU operates under MSU Academic Technology and Outreach, which supports the university's land-grant mission through outreach and engagement initiatives. More details are available online at montana.edu/olli.