Enhanced Support: Understanding Mental Health, Missing Persons and Suicide Risk

In this course, Dr. Sarah Wayland, PhD, BSW, University of New England, offers the police definition of “missing” and challenges you to find your own definition. Citing the statistics for how many thousands go missing each year, Dr. Wayland fleshes out the typical characteristics of the person who goes missing from their life, showing how the risk from high levels of distress, thoughts of self-harm, and feelings of the need to disconnect have much similarity with the risk from suicide. Empirical research is cited, and Wayland stresses the need to begin having conversations about how to re-frame the issue from being a law enforcement one to the public health one that it is. Support needs for returned persons are outlined.