AUGUSTA — Several Mainers are being recognized at the Blaine House for their actions preventing suicides.
Those being honored today include police officers who intervened to prevent a suicide and leaders of suicide awareness activities conducted around the state.
Youth suicide in particular is a big public health concern. The Maine Youth Suicide Prevention Program calls suicide the second leading cause of death for youth aged 15-24, accounting for an average of 20 deaths annually.
The leading speaker at the governor’s mansion will be state Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Mary Mayhew.
Among those to be recognized is Ralph DeStefano of the Sabattus Police Department, who saved the life of a 16-year-old boy who’d attempted suicide by performing CPR. The boy made a full recovery after a hospital stay.
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