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How Emergency Rooms Could Reduce Suicide Attempts

By U.S. News & World Report

The key to preventing more suicide attempts might start at a helpful if not obvious place: the emergency room.

The National Institute of Mental Health found that hospital emergency departments could decrease the number of further adult suicide attempts as much as 30 percent, according to a new study published in JAMA Psychiatry.

Researchers conducted the study of approximately 1,400 patients in eight hospital emergency rooms across seven states, all of whom had attempted suicide or had thoughts of suicide. Between a combination of emergency department screening, resources given to patients when they were discharged and the occasional phone check-in by hospital personnel, researchers found the plan of action resulted in a 30 percent reduction of new suicide attempts over 52 weeks compared to people who received standard ER care.

“We would like to have had an even stronger effect, but the fact that we were able to impact attempts with this population and with a relatively limited intervention is encouraging,” study author Ivan Miller, a professor at Brown University, said in a statement. The study was collaborative, combining experts from the likes of Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Brown University and Butler Hospital in Providence, R.I.

Study limitations included that it wasn’t a randomized clinical trial, given its method of intervention, and that in doing so “it is possible that time or other nonstudy systemic changes may have produced differences in participant samples or other unknown factors…,” according to the study.

And going forward, “much larger trials will be necessary to adequately study the effect of interventions on suicide deaths,” also according to the study.

Conversations surrounding suicide have increasingly become part of broader mental health discussions, seemingly buoyed by recent pop culture phenomena like the popular Netflix series “13 Reasons Why,” a show that follows the aftermath of a student’s suicide and the circumstances surrounding it revealed through a series of cassette tapes.

Despite positive reviews, people have blasted the series for glorifying suicide and possibly creating an uptick in copycat events. Netflix has since updated trigger warnings since the series premiered in late March, BuzzFeed reports.

“Moving forward, we will add an additional viewer warning card before the first episode as an extra precaution for those about to start the series and have also strengthened the messaging and resource language in the existing cards for episodes that contain graphic subject matter, including the URL 13ReasonsWhy.info — a global resource center that provides information about professional organizations that support help around the serious matters addressed in the show,” Netflix said in a statement.

Suicide is the United States’ tenth leading cause of death, according to the study. Death by suicide accounted for more than 44,000 deaths in 2015.

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How Emergency Rooms Could Reduce Suicide Attempts originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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