‘She needed the help now’: Mothers call for provincial suicide prevention strategy

Linda Roberts spoke to reporters at the legislature while holding a school photo of her smiling daughter.

It was taken the morning of her suicide. Jadene Anna Irving was 14.

“There’s no sign of mental illness,” said Roberts. “She said, ‘Goodbye, Mommy, I’m going to have a good day at school and you and Daddy have a good day at work. I love you.’ ”

Roberts and Sally Ratt — who lost her 12-year-old daughter Ariana Mercedes Roberts to suicide — called for a suicide prevention strategy in Saskatchewan.

“We need to help these youth. These youth are so important to us. They’re just screaming for our help,” Linda Roberts said Tuesday.

Roberts said she has lost two nephews in the last two years to suicide in La Ronge. Her daughter was seeing counsellors while dealing with losing a friend to suicide.

Others wait too long for a counsellor,  said Ratt, whose daughter was being bullied.

“I tried to get my daughter help and her appointments were two weeks, three weeks, a month down the road. She needed the help now,” said Ratt.

The mothers were brought forward by the NDP. Northern Affairs Critic Doyle Vermette introduced a bill for a suicide prevention strategy, pointing out there have been 2,200 deaths by suicide in the province since 2005.

While Vermette admitted the bill doesn’t hold any answers to the suicide crisis, it would get the discussion going to work together to find solutions. He called the bill a start.

“I don’t think there’s any concrete things that I know. I just know that people are tired. They don’t want to lose one more loved one so whatever they need to do to come together to help, that’s what they’re calling for. I think the government could do this, easy,” said Vermette.

The bill would require the Saskatchewan Health Authority to start consultations with stakeholders and groups within 180 days to develop a plan and report back annually on its progress. Vermette introduced the same bill last year but it did not pass.

“I’m hoping the premier will do the right thing for these mothers and the residents of this great province who deserve nothing less than the government working on all their behalf,” said Vermette.

Health Minister Jim Reiter said the government is aware of the problem and is considering what to do. He said the ministry has started what he called a “jurisdictional scan,” looking at what other provinces are doing to prevent suicides.

“I want to see a list of where (the ministry) thinks there are gaps compared to what other provinces are doing with best practices. Then we’re going to sit down (and) we’re going to decide how to address those gaps,” said Reiter.

Reiter said there may be programs within Saskatchewan’s Mental Health and Addiction Action Plan that are proving to be successful, which could be expanded.

He also emphasized the need for any sort of suicide prevention strategy to remain flexible. If there are issues in specific areas like northern Saskatchewan, the province might have to take specific action to target the north.

The bulk of the review is expected to be completed by the end of the year. Reiter couldn’t say if the review will lead to a strategy.

“I think it would depend on what (the ministry) comes back with, where they think there are gaps,” said Reiter, who promised to keep Vermette updated on the file and work together to find a solution.

“Actions will speak louder than words, so we’ll be watching this closely,” said Vermette.