"Reach out. There is help" is message to those in need

LOS ANGELES - Metrolink, Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, and Metro officials highlighted a suicide prevention campaign encouraging people who feel sadness or depression during the holiday period with a message of "reach out, there is help" this morning at Union Station.

"Metrolink's first and foremost priority is safety, and sadly, this agency has dealt with loss of life far too often," said Metrolink Board Chair and City of Highland Mayor Pro Tem Larry McCallon. "But there is an area beyond our scope of expertise and because of that, we need people to know there is help long before getting near our tracks or trains."

This has been a long-term effort for all three agencies.

Metro and Didi Hirsch have partnered in a successful anti-suicide effort that has seen incidents decline dramatically on the Metro Blue Line.

"In 2013, Metro embarked on an extensive campaign to reach out to our passengers and the public with suicide prevention signs and resources," said Metro CEO Art Leahy. "Since then, the number of suicides on the Metro Rail system is one. While even one is too many, Metro's and Didi Hirsch's efforts have saved many lives."

In November, Metrolink installed station posters throughout its system with the Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services (877-727-4747) and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline phone number (800-273-TALK), along with the message "Reach out. There is help." In the past year, 130 people who saw the signs called the Didi Hirsch Crisis Line for help.

Also this month, Metrolink staff members were at selected stations throughout the service area providing informative collateral regarding suicide prevention to the community. The stations were in San Bernardino, Moorpark, Fullerton, Corona, and Palmdale before today's event in Los Angeles.

"People attempt suicide because they're in terrible psychological pain and can't think of any other solution," said Didi Hirsch President and CEO Dr. Kita S. Curry. "We know this because calls to our Crisis Line from people contemplating suicide-and worried friends and family-increase every time the number is advertised. If we all learn the warning signs of suicide and how to respond, we can save lives."

Two years ago, 19 people died by suicide in a Metrolink train involved incident. The agency began to implement a wide array of policies and procedures to reduce these tragedies. These efforts have lowered the number officially to four (4) in 2014 across Metrolink's 512-mile system.

Metrolink expanded its active participation with Operation Lifesaver, while conducting outreach to schools, in the agency's effort to reduce suicide by train. Metrolink also trained its front-line employees of warning signs, empowering staff with what to do if they come across someone in distress or crisis.

These tragedies are preventable, and the most effective way preventing suicide is identifying early warning signs so others can intervene.

Despite the efforts of transportation agencies partnering with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the California Department of Mental Health, the Suicide Prevention Network and of course Didi Hirsh Mental Health Services suicide still occurs.

According to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner/Coroner, nearly 100 people have ended their lives by placing themselves in the path of a Metro Rail, Union Pacific, Metrolink, Amtrak, or BNSF train in the county since 1991.

ABOUT METROLINK (www.metrolinktrains.com)

Metrolink is Southern California's regional commuter rail service in its 22nd year of operation. The Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA), a joint powers authority made up of an 11-member board representing the transportation commissions of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura counties, governs the service. Metrolink operates over seven routes through a six-county, 512 route-mile network. Metrolink is the third largest commuter rail agency in the United States based on directional route miles, and the eighth largest based on annual ridership.

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