For the Press

Samaritans is available to provide information and perspective on issues, topics and events tied to suicide and Samaritans executive director, Alan Ross, is often utilized as a resource on the proper reporting of deaths from suicide, the keys to effective suicide prevention, educating and training health providers, the warning signs and risk factors of suicide, responding to at-risk sub-populations (such as adolescents), bullying and suicide, etc.

For media inquiries, contact Samaritans at (212) 673-3661.

Public Service Announcements

Samaritans can provide Public Service Announcements (PSA’s) in print, audio, video and digital formats to promote the availability of our 24-hour confidential suicide prevention hotline service. Print PSA’s can come in multiple formats to fit a publication’s requirements. Samaritans has 15, 30 and 60-second radio PSA’s as well as banner ads and a high-quality 30-second digital video PSA that can be utilized on television and online.

For information on PSA’s, contact Samaritans at (212) 673-3661.

Recommended Guidelines for Reporting on Suicide

Research shows that safe and responsible reporting of suicide reduces the risk of suicide contagion and “copy-cats” and helps encourage help-seeking behavior. Suicide is a public health issue and it is important for media outlets to utilize the best practices in reporting on suicide to minimize any negative impacts that inadvertently contribute to another suicide.

To discuss responsible reporting practices, please call Alan Ross, Executive Director, the Samaritans at (212) 673-3661 and also review the following resources:

Reporting on Suicide
The following website provides an overview of topics tied to safe and responsible reporting utilizing best practices from some of the world’s leading suicide prevention experts. Topics include: phrasing ‘do’s and ‘don’t’s’, suicide warning signs (with a sample sidebar) and examples of informative and sensitive news reports that utilize recommended practices. Especially helpful is the section entitled: Recommendations for Reporting on Suicide.
www.reportingonsuicide.org

Reporting on LGBTQ Suicide
For guidelines on covering LGBTQ suicide, please refer to “Talking About LGBT Suicide,” with tips for safe ways to discuss suicide in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities.
http://b.3cdn.net/trevor/d2c5d7bb8e57e42ee0_w5m6bcwrr.pdf