Preventing Suicide with Resources to Improve Wellbeing and Positivity

September 21, 2021

National Suicide Prevention Month is recognized every September to educate people about a crisis that is plaguing people of all ages, genders, and nationalities. Suicidal thoughts can affect anyone, and there is a dire need for an increased focus on suicide prevention—both inside and outside of correctional facilities.  

Many people, you and your incarcerated loved ones included, have had more stress, more time apart, and more worries this past 18 months than ever before. But it is important to remember that you are not alone in the struggle against depression and troubling thoughts. 

Across the United States, suicide is the tenth leading cause of death for all age groups, and the second leading cause of death for individuals aged 10–34. While these numbers are distressing in and of themselves, it is even worse for incarcerated individuals. Over 55 percent of incarcerated individuals suffer from mental illness, and in many states, there are more individuals with mental illness in correctional facilities than in psychiatric hospitals.  

This is where GTL comes in—we can offer resources that promote healing, to provide communication options that allow your incarcerated loved ones to hear messages of affirmation and encouragement, and ways to keep people together even when separated by incarceration. 

GTL tablets include applications that promote a positive attitude and increase morale by providing individuals the opportunity to read books, watch movies, listen to music, play games, take educational courses, read religious texts, and meditate.  

• The Peace Education Program from The Prem Rawat Foundation helps improve mental health and well-being by renewing a sense of purpose in participants. 
• Breaking Free from Substance Abuse assists individuals in achieving and maintaining recovery from dependence on over 70 different substances. 
• A partnership with Dr. Christian Conte, a mental health specialist in the field of anger and emotional management, provides unique content and videos to the tablets, focusing on the mental and emotional health of incarcerated individuals. 

• Art therapy can help individuals regulate their emotions, better handle their feelings, and reduce anxiety, and incarcerated individuals can do this through the Hayes Art Therapy application.  
• GTL’s Free Communication Program provides you and your incarcerated loved one with a free weekly baseline of communication to ensure consistent connections no matter what. 

For returning citizens or family and friends that are suffering, there are many resources and organizations ready to help. 

• The Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24/7 for those that need assistance for themselves or a friend or loved one. 

• The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention offers resources for suicide prevention, including resources focused on diverse communities and the LGBTQ community. 
• Give an Hour is a national network of professionals who volunteer their time to provide free and confidential mental health care to specific populations, increasing the likelihood that those in need receive the support and care they deserve. 
• The nation’s leading community-based nonprofit focused on suicide prevention, Mental Health America is dedicated to addressing the needs of those living with mental illness and promoting the overall mental health of all Americans. 
• The National Alliance on Mental Illness builds better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness by educating, advocating, listening, and leading. 
• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration leads public health efforts to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities. 

• The Trevor Project provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ young people under 25. 
• Vets Journey Home helps veterans with emotional issues stemming from military service. 

 If you or someone you know is in an emergency, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or 911 immediately. 

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