Helper Flags flying in the skybridge. Photo by Taylor Heckart
Brightly colored flags have been flying in the skybridge between the Avis Alaska Sports Complex and Rasmuson Hall this September. The flags where hung by UAA’s Peer Health Educator team, and represent the community of support that exists around suicide prevention at UAA.
Peer health educators are UAA students who provide peer-to-peer education and programming on health-related topics. Their programming encompasses a wide variety of topics in addition to suicide prevention.
Hannah Boron is a peer health educator, and says that the premise behind the flags is simple. Peer health educators ask students on campus to write the name of someone who helped them “during their darkest hours or the times that they struggled” on a flag. All of the flags are then hung up together in a space where the UAA community can see them.
“So then when we hang them all up, right, it’s kind of an individual thing where you look at the flag and say ‘that was my system of support,’ but then you see how everybody else is supported in their lives, and you can connect to that as well,” said Boron.
The rate of suicide in Alaska is significantly higher than the national average, and according to the CDC Alaska has the third highest suicide rate in the nation.
Boron said that there is a big misconception around talking about suicide. “Talking about suicide or asking somebody if they're suicidal is not going to make them want to commit [suicide] more, and a lot of people are afraid to step forward because they're afraid of stressing somebody out or making it worse.”
She said that talking to someone is the first step toward getting them the support that they need.
Haley Lugers, an assistant with Peer Health Educators, said that suicide is an issue that impacts communities across the state.
“Suicide affects almost everybody in our state, especially in rural populations. When someone dies, it really affects the entire community,” said Lugers, “So I think that's why it's really important that we talk about suicide. Even though it's [become] less stigmatized over the last few years, it's still really taboo to talk about, even though it affects almost everybody that we know, in some way.”
Lugers said that the helper flags are one way to continue to destigmatize the conversation around suicide while showing the UAA community that support is out there.
In October, Peer Health Educators will be doing a similar project for Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October. White shirts with words of support for domestic violence survivors will be hung up in the library.
For students in need of support, there are many suicide prevention and mental health resources both on and off campus.
The Student Health and Counseling Center – located on the first floor of Rasmuson Hall – has mental health support for those who may be struggling with suicide.
UAA also has a Psychological Services Center, where students seeking counseling can book appointments with UAA masters and doctoral students who are supervised by professional psychologists. Fees are based on students’ income level.
Students who are concerned about another student can submit anonymous reports to UAA’s Care Team. Professionals from the Care Team can intervene and help UAA students find support.
State and national hotlines for those seeking immediate assistance include:
The National Suicide Lifeline: 988
The Alaska Careline: 1-877-266-4357
The Trevor Project, for LGBTQ individuals: 1-866-488-7386
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