Date: September 26, 2013 To: ENC1101 students From: Dariana Martinez RE: American Association of Suicidology Teen

suicide has been a germinating concern all across the nation. It is currently the third leading cause of death in adolescences behind homicides and accidents. Though it may sound unbelievable, it is true, and there arent many organizations out there targeting such a burgeoning issue. However, it is highly essential that these organizations exist because they help promote the safety of these adolescences, bring public awareness, and endorse suicide prevention and intervention programs while providing research and training in order to treat those who have attempted suicide or are having suicidal thoughts. The American Association of Suicidology (AAS) has been addressing teen suicide prevention and intervention since 1968. The AAS is an organization that is dedicated to scientific research and programmatic efforts channeled towards the prevention of suicide. The AAS converted the study and research of suicide into an actual science and area of psychology; hence, suicidology. Moreover, while educating the public of such a traumatic issue, they also aid in the development of standards and resources and survivor support services that are used to console those who have attempted and/or been affected by suicide in some way. Additionally, in order to bolster the cause of suicide prevention and intervention, the AAS hosts the National Suicide Prevention Week annually during the month of September. Throughout the week, different activities like walks and awareness presentations are held and exhibited all throughout the country where anybody is allowed to participate. In these activities, the public is educated about suicide. They learn different warning signs and risk factors that can conduce to suicidal thoughts and actions. Not to mention, the AAS also fosters newsletters created by students and interns that provide facts and statistics, new information on recent breakthroughs in suicidology, upcoming events, and neoteric training programs. In conjunction with the discursive practices of the organization, the AAS sponsors an annual conference that assembles members of the organization together. The 2014 AAS conference is to be held April 9 12 in Los Angeles, California. All these efforts made by the AAS are beamed to bring awareness to teen suicide. Furthermore, the website for the American Association of Suicidology, http://www.suicidology.org/, provides information on various ways to contact the organization. The organization can be reached by phone by dialing the number to the landline, which is (202) 237-2280 or by fax at (202) 237-2282. Withal, the AAS can also be communicated through mail. The address that corresponds to the organizations mailing and receiving services is 5221 Wisconsin Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20015. Not only is the AAS reachable by phone, fax, and mail, but also by an online messages box that functions as an electronic mail server. The box requests the input of some personal information like ones name and email, and requires a subject and body in the corresponding boxes. Along with contacting the AAS, one can become a

member simply by signing up. Joining the AAS Online Community brings its benefits and grants an all access pass to the remainder of the website that cannot be accessed without a membership. Above all, the American Association of Suicidology, with goals on recruiting more members and expanding its research facilities, targets an issue that breaks the heart of many, teenage suicide.