Giving Compass' Take:

· Chirlane McCray, first lady of New York City and leader of ThriveNYC, writes for Mashable about how to better support those who are struggling with their mental health or are suicidal.

· How can communities provide helpful resources to support individuals suffering with their mental health? How does mental health affect everyday life? 

· Check out this community engagement toolkit for preventing suicide. 

I remember whispers, silence, and shame. When I was growing up in the 1960s and 70s, an older cousin violently ended his life. It was never openly discussed, leaving questions and grief surrounding his death to reverberate for years.

Decades later, suicide continues to create quiet circles of despair, a circle that grows ever wider in this country: The latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention numbers show a 25.4 percent jump in the national suicide rate from 1999 to 2016, when nearly 45,000 people ages 10 or older completed suicide. For every life lost, there are even more stories – from family, friends, and colleagues – that must be heard to eradicate the deep-seated stigma and the silence that contribute to this crisis.

National Survivors of Suicide Day on Nov. 17 brings much-needed attention to the crisis and allows survivors a special time and place for solace and community. I am a member of that community. But we can do so much more to prevent these tragedies all year round so that more people actually survive suicidal thoughts or attempts to complete suicide.

My own personal experiences of witnessing the suffering of mental illness and substance abuse inspired me to help create an accessible system of mental health support and resources where none existed.

As the first lady of New York City, I lead ThriveNYC, a city-wide mental health effort launched in 2015 that encompasses dozens of initiatives. We are bringing mental health resources to places where they are needed and teaching New Yorkers to take care of one another. We have now logged over 400,000 contacts to our helpline, 1-888-NYC-WELL, where you can talk, chat, or text with trained counselors.

Read the full article about supporting people who are suicidal by Chirlane McCray at Mashable.