Jan Reece, outreach/training specialist for Juneau Suicide Prevention Coalition, holds up a card with contact information for suicide prevention resources after a screening of “The S-Word” at Gold Town Theater, Tuesday, March 5, 2019. (Ben Hohenstatt | Capital City Weekly)

Jan Reece, outreach/training specialist for Juneau Suicide Prevention Coalition, holds up a card with contact information for suicide prevention resources after a screening of “The S-Word” at Gold Town Theater, Tuesday, March 5, 2019. (Ben Hohenstatt | Capital City Weekly)

Movie night moves suicide into public focus

Documentary screening, discussion focuses on normalizing mental health discussion

After seeing “The S Word” Jenny Smith was struck by how many people she’s known who died by suicide.

“There’s been quite a few,” Smith said. “There’s more than a handful.”

Juneau Suicide Prevention Coalition offered a free screening Tuesday night of the documentary that collected suicide survivors’ stories from around the country and Smith, a Juneau resident who served in the Air Force, said it made her reflect on the prevalence of suicide as well as people’s aversion to seeking mental health help.

Smith said a scene in “The S Word” in which a college counselor said a survey revealed a majority of students would not judge a peer for seeking help but believed they would be judged if they sought help stood out and rang true to her experiences.

“I spent a long time in the military,” Smith said. “They always had mental health care available, but no one ever took advantage of it. It’s certainly ingrained in the American culture — pull yourself up by your bootstraps.”

[Getting ink for suicide prevention]

That mentality is something Juneau Suicide Prevention Coalition is attempting to change by bringing conversations about mental wellness and suicide into public settings via events such as a monthly survivors game night and movie screenings.

“Our mission, our goal is to create connectedness in Juneau and make people feel belonging in their community,” said Jan Reece, outreach/training specialist for JSPC.

Before the movie, suicide prevention magnets, wristbands, tote bags and gun locks were given away.

The film featured the stories of a handful of people who have survived suicide attempts as well as family members who have lost loved ones to suicide. The survivors uniformly said they were glad to have survived.

“I think things like this are really helpful,” Reece said during a short, open conversation after the movie. “Just having it be out in the open more. Creating an acceptance of asking for help is important in our community.”

Sam and Gayle Trivette, who had a child who died by suicide and have been JSPC members since 2008, said normalizing conversations about wellness and raising the public profile of suicide is important because it is a significant cause of death in the U.S, especially in Alaska.

The national rate of suicide in the U.S. was 14 per 100,000 people in 2017, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Alaska’s suicide rate was 27.11 per 100,000 people in 2017 — the second highest in the country.

Nationally, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and on average there are 129 suicides per day. One Alaskan dies by suicide every two days, according to the foundation.

[Singer talks about bringing Motown hits to Juneau]

“The S-Word” pointed out that loss of life on the national scale is equivalent to a small plane of Americans crashing every single day.

“If one plane a day were going down, the United States would consider it an emergency,” Reece said. “Talking about it helps. Silence is a big issue.”

Need someone to talk to?

The Alaska Careline Crisis Intervention can be contacted by calling 1-877-266-4357 or by texting “4help” to 839863.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached at 1-800-273-8255.

The Crisis Text Line can be reached 24/7 by texting “Home” to 741741.


• Contact arts and culture reporter Ben Hohenstatt at (907)523-2243 or bhohenstatt@juneauempire.com. Follow him on Twitter at @BenHohenstatt.


More in News

Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File
The Aurora Borealis glows over the Mendenhall Glacier in 2014.
Aurora Forecast

Forecasts from the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Geophysical Institute for the week of March. 19

Gov. Mike Dunleavy discusses his proposed budget for the 2024 fiscal year during a press conference at the Alaska State Capitol in December 2022. A lower-than-expected revenue forecast is raising questions about what the state's spending plan will ultimately look like. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire File)
Lower revenue forecast increases budget woes for state lawmakers

Coming up with a spending plan for next year and beyond will be a complex series of negotiations.

Office Max at the Nugget Mall in the Mendenhall Valley advertised Permanent Fund dividend sales in July 2020. Alaskans have until the end of the month to apply for the PFD. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)
PFD application deadline is next week

Amount in flux as state revenue forecasts lower than expected.

This is a photo of the current site plan of the proposed Capital Civic Center. On Monday night the Assembly authorized $5 million to go toward the project that is expected to cost $75 million. (City and Borough of Juneau)
City OKs $5M toward proposed Capital Civic Center

The money is intended to show the city’s commitment to the project as it seeks federal funding

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Police calls for Tuesday, March 21, 2023

This report contains information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

This September 2015, photo provided by NOAA Fisheries shows an aerial view of adult female Southern Resident killer whale (J16) swimming with her calf (J50). New research suggests that inbreeding may be a key reason that the Pacific Northwest’s endangered population of killer whales has failed to recover despite decades of conservation efforts. The so-called “southern resident” population of orcas stands at 73 whales. That’s just two more than in 1971, after scores of the whales were captured for display in marine theme parks around the world. (NOAA Fisheries / Vancouver Aquarium)
The big problem for endangered orcas? Inbreeding

Southern resident killer whales haven’t regularly interbred with other populations in 30 generations.

Juneau Brass Quintet co-founding member Bill Paulick along with Stephen Young performs “Shepherd’s Hey” to a packed house at the Alaska State Museum on Saturday as part of the quintet’s season-ending performance. Friends of the Alaska State Library, Archives and Museum sponsored the event with proceeds going to the musicians and FoSLAM. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
Top brass turns out for event at State Museum

Free performance puts a capt on a busy season.

Alaska’s state legislators are slated to get the equivalent of 6,720 additional $5 bills in their salary next year via a $33,600 raise to a total of $84,000 due to a veto Monday by Gov. Mike Dunleavy of bill rejecting raises for legislative and executive branch employees. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)
Veto negates rejection of pay hikes for governor, legislators

Dunleavy clears way for 67% hike in legislative pay, 20% in his to take effect in coming months

Most Read