Woodstock youth suicides have community seeking answers

Tai Hope, a Grade 11 student in Woodstock, says students are struggling to cope
with the effects of the youth suicide crisis. 'I didn't know them that well, but it’s
also taking a very big toll on me.'

In the last four months, five young people have taken their own lives in the small southwestern Ontario city of Woodstock, and officials say there have been many more suicide attempts.

The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) is calling it a crisis and convening experts from around the province and the country to help deal with the situation in the community of 38,000.

"We've never experienced this before," Mike McMahon, the CMHA's executive director for Oxford County, told CBC News. "This is a crisis in our community."

Police say there have been five youth suicides in Woodstock this year and at least 36 suicide attempts in Oxford County, which encompasses Woodstock and seven neighbouring communities. There were no youth suicides last year.  (more...)

Woodstock youth suicides have community seeking answers

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