Suicide prevention is everyone's business.

In response to a letter recommending that the police take suicide prevention training, everyone in our community should know the warning signs and how to respond to someone who is suicidal, not just law enforcement.

Suicide is a serious public health problem in Wisconsin. It's often preventable with education, treatment and support.

In Dane County, there are 40 to 50 suicides a year, with many more individuals seen in hospital emergency rooms for suicide attempts. According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, 90 percent of the people who die of suicide have a treatable mental illness or substance abuse problem. And depression is among the most treatable of psychiatric illnesses, but first it must be recognized.

To address these concerns, Safe Communities and Helping Others Prevent and Educate About Suicide, along with community partners, have launched a county-wide initiative to raise awareness and develop broad-based, county wide support for suicide prevention.

We will hold the first ever "Suicide Prevention Summit: How to Save a Life Through Awareness and Education,: on Monday, Sept. 24.

Our Challenge is to create communities where residents believe that suicide is preventable and suicide prevention is everyone's business. We invite all community members to rise to the challenge and join the effort. for information about the summit and registration materials, visit www.safercommunity.net.

-Bonnie Schmidt, project manager, Safe Communities, Madison