On the snow, Jeret "Speedy" Peterson seemed to have it all. Idaho's Olympic freestyle aerial skier competed in three Olympic Games, winning a silver medal in Vancouver in 2010. He inspired a generation of Olympic hopefuls with his death-defying trick, aptly named "The Hurricane." But off the snow, Speedy's family says he struggled like anyone else and eventually succumbed to his lifelong battle with depression and anxiety in 2011.
Read MoreBoise - On Tuesday, Sept. 12, state leaders marked National Suicide Prevention Week with a proclamation signing at the Idaho Statehouse. Statistics show suicide is the eighth leading cause of death overall in the Gem State. Organizers say the ceremony was about celebrating how far the state has come in supporting suicide prevention, and bringing a greater awareness to the cause. "This is all part of the framework of doing the right thing in Idaho," said Lt. Gov. Brad Little. "...of investing in the health and stability of our communities."
Read MoreA free public screening of James Redford’s documentary, “RESILIENCE: The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope,” a partnership between Optum Idaho, the Idaho Children’s Trust Fund, The Speedy Foundation and the Idaho Federation of Families, is being screened at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Shoshone-Bannock Hotel and Events Center, 777 Bannock Trail in Fort Hall. There also will be a panel discussion, featuring local community health experts.
Read MoreIn partnership with the Idaho Children’s Trust Fund, The Speedy Foundation and the Idaho Federation of Families presented the movie RESILIENCE: The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope at a professional education conference and community education event at Boise State University’s Special Events Center May 13.
Read MoreHowever, the show does give parents a window to broach a difficult subject with their teens, she said. That could be a silver lining in Idaho, which had the ninth-highest suicide rate in the nation in 2015, 46 percent higher than the national average. “Parents need to step up to the plate,” Decker said. “Sometimes, kids are ready to talk, and parents are the ones who are hesitant. Prepare yourself for an open and honest conversation, and be ready to hear whatever your child shares with you."
Read MoreFamily gatherings, while wonderful, can be a difficult time to get through if you’ve recently entered addiction recovery; they come with so many responsibilities, worries, and stresses, and there’s often so little time to do anything else that many of us neglect our own health and well-being. This can have detrimental impacts on your sobriety, so it’s important to reach out for help when you need it.
Fortunately, there are some easy ways to beat stress and maintain your sober status no matter what has brought your family together; with a little planning and preparation, you can ensure your time with your loved ones is fun-filled and substance-free. Here are a few of the best tips for doing just that.
Read MoreFilm examines long-term effects of childhood trauma and science behind cutting-edge therapies designed to protect children from harm caused by toxic stress
Read MoreYou’re constantly bombarded with media telling you how you can get fit, eat better, and improve your physical health — but what about your mental health? Mental health is just as ( if not more) important than physical health, but it tends to fall by the wayside when dreaming up self-improvement to-do lists. Make mental health a priority in 2017 by incorporating these 10 habits into your plans for the new year.
Read MoreBipolar disorder affects nearly six million adults in the U.S., and many studies have been done in an effort to try and pinpoint where it begins and why. It’s not so easy to understand, however, and it is even harder to study in young people because the symptoms sometimes mimic natural emotional changes that come with growing up.
Read MoreJennifer McGregor is a pre-med student who knows how difficult it can be to sift through the mountains of health-related information on the web. She created Public Health Library to help people find reputable information on health topics.
Read MoreBy Travis Barton, My City Journals
The Speedy Foundation teamed up with Optum on Sept. 24 to offer a free Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) course at the Salt Lake County offices in West Valley City. MHFA is an eight-hour course training participants how to identify the common signs of mental illness including depression, anxiety disorders and substance use...“Mental health is not restricted to a particular age group,” Stewart said about traumatic experiences affecting all ages.
Youth mental health classes are also offered for people who regularly interact with adolescents who may be experiencing mental health or addiction challenges.
These classes have become increasingly important in light of a July report from the Utah Department of Health (UDH) stating that suicide is the leading cause of death in Utah for 10- to 17-year-olds.
“We’re in a major youth suicide crisis right now…we need to really hit home in our schools and anywhere we can,” Flood said, adding that the class is great for parents, counselors and educators.
Often times mental health issues can be misjudged as anxiety, stress or being overdramatic, especially in teens Emery said.
“It took me two years to realize that it wasn’t typical teenage rebellion,” Emery said of the experience with her daughter.
Flood said the class shows participants the signs between typical and atypical teenage behavior.
“You can see where a typical teenager will always go on their roller coaster ride to really seeing the signs of isolating and if they’re getting involved with alcohol and drugs,” Flood said.
Severity and time are two of the most important things to look for according to Emery.
“That lets you know it’s not a situational issue,” Emery said.
Read MoreBy Associated Press, Idaho Business Review
Tyler Neill has been appointed board president for the Speedy Foundation.
Neill, an attorney in Boise, co-founded The Speedy Foundation. He was close friend of Jeret “Speedy” Peterson, the three-time Olympian for whom the foundation was named.
Neill graduated from College of Idaho in 2004 with degrees in politics & economics and history, and received his law degree from the University of Idaho College of Law in 2007. He received an MS in education/sport psychology from University of Idaho in 2008. Prior to working as an attorney, Tyler was the head women’s tennis coach and associate director of compliance for the University of Idaho. He served as treasurer of The Speedy Foundation board from July 2011 to March 2015.
The foundation is a nonprofit organization created in 2011 with the mission of preventing suicide, promoting conversations to end stigma, and supporting mental health education. The Speedy Foundation raises funds for, and collaborates with, other advocacy groups.
Read MoreBy: IRB Staff, Idaho Business Review
Shannon Decker has been appointed executive director of the Speedy Foundation.
Decker, a co-founder of the foundation, received a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Idaho and has ten years of private and public teaching and administrative experience in Idaho, Nevada and California. She is a mental health first aid facilitator who offers trainings in Idaho and Utah to further the foundation’s mission of promoting mental health education and advocating for suicide prevention.
Peterson was an American World Cup aerial skier and three-time Olympian who was based at Bogus Basin and won the silver medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. He died at age 29 in 2011.
The nonprofit Speedy Foundation was founded in 2011 by Peterson’s friends and family to prevent suicide, promote conversations to end stigma, and support mental health education. The Speedy Foundation raises funds for, and collaborates with, other advocacy groups.
Read MoreThree-time Olympic freestyle skier Emily Cook sits on the board of The Speedy Foundation, a philanthropic organization dedicated to understanding mental illness through education, research and advocacy, founded in honor of Olympic medalist aerialist Jeret "Speedy" Peterson. She is also involved in the organization Right To Play.
Read MoreSeptember is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and for many of us an opportunity to reflect on and honor those who have struggled. For me, it is a time to remember my teammate and very good friend Jeret “Speedy” Peterson and, in his honor, to look deeply at how we can all support each other.
While a loving, caring, outgoing friend, Jeret battled depression throughout his life. Less than 18 months after winning a silver medal at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games and retiring from competitive sport, Jeret took his life in July of 2011 at the age of 29. This was a devastating time for his family, teammates and friends, but in the spirit of his passion for giving back to others, The Speedy Foundation was founded and today is focused on understanding mental illness, preventing suicide and fighting stigma through education, research and advocacy.
There are so many positive things that come out of sport: perseverance, dedication and an unwillingness to give up among them. But often times this grit, which has been so engrained, can prove challenging, especially after retiring from sport. As an athlete at the Olympic level it’s easy to define yourself by your sport. When you retire, who are you? The challenges of major transition in life can be tough for all of us, not just athletes.
Read MoreOn Wednesday, Sept. 9, The Speedy Foundation and the Park City Sport and Wellness Coalition will host a seminar at Park City High School about recognizing the signs of mental health problems and the stigma of talking about suicide.
Read MoreWhen Marilyn Monroe died in August 1962, with the cause listed as probable suicide, the nation reacted. In the months afterward, there was extensive news coverage, widespread sorrow and a spate of suicides.
Read MoreCook said Friday that she might keep going if she thought her body could withstand it, but will be content to view the Olympics from another vantage point next time around. "I don't know where I'll be," she said, gesturing around the base of the hill where coaches, reporters and spectators stood in different pens, but said she'll remain connected to the sport.
Off the hill, she has already found long-term purpose in her involvement with the Speedy Foundation, established by Peterson's family and friends after his death to tackle mental health issues and suicide prevention. Cook has been one of the most visible faces of the organization, which was instrumental in starting the first suicide hotline in Peterson's home state of Idaho.
In an email, Linda Peterson, Jeret's mother, called the petite Cook "a gentle and giant spirit ... the most gracious and empowering person I know."
Read MoreBy Jason Blevins, The Denver Post
Maybe it was a stoic face she was putting on for reporters, but Cook did pause when asked about her good friend Jeret “Speedy” Peterson, the three-time Olympian and silver medalist in the 2010 Winter Olympics who took his life in a remote canyon in Utah in July 2011.
“He would have been bummed I didn’t hit the second jump,” Cook said. “He’s with me. He’s here. I’m positive of that. My mission is to carry on what he started. To continue on with his legacy. To continue to have conversations about mental health … conversations about depression. To get people the help they need.”
Cook said she would remain in aerials in part because of the influence of Peterson.
“He taught us how to be a team and I’m going to teach the younger athletes how to do that, too,” she said. “Man, our future is so good in our sport. These kids are so good at 16, 17 years old and Speedy was too and look at what he did.”
Read MoreBy Lisa Dillman, Chicago Tribune
Regardless of who makes the team, there's little doubt that the members of the men's and women's aerial teams in Sochi will be asked about the impact and legacy of Peterson, the man behind the Hurricane.
In 2011, Peterson took his own life in a remote canyon in Utah. He had battled depression and spoke openly in Vancouver and before the Olympics about his long struggle with drinking and two suicide attempts.
The tight freestyle ski community pulled together to honor Peterson, not only domestically but internationally. Ferguson had traveled the World Cup circuit with Peterson for at least five seasons.
"He was awesome, always having a blast, always having a smile on his face," Ferguson said.
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