Agora Crisis Center put up an art exhibit in front of Zimmerman Library today in observation of Suicide Prevention Week, which lasts until Saturday.
The exhibit features a tunnel of cloth with more than 300 handprints representing the number of New Mexicans who committed suicide in 2002, which is the most recent data available.
New Mexico Suicide Survivors, a group of friends and family of people who committed suicide, will display a quilt and other art and distribute information about preventing suicide.
According to the American Association of Suicidology, New Mexico is ranked first in the nation for the number of suicides in 2001, more than double the number in Montana, which is No. 2.
"There's no good research that says, 'Here's exactly why,'" Agora Director Molly Brack said. "It's a poor state, and of course everything's harder when you're broke."
Brack said another reason for the high suicide rate in New Mexico is that it's a rural state, and rural states always top the list.
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"People are isolated," she said. "Maybe it's harder to get services. They can't afford services."
Still, most of New Mexico's suicides take place in Bernalillo County, she said.
After a two-day, on-site evaluation of Agora this month, The American Association of Suicidology granted the center national accreditation, making it the only nationally accredited crisis center in the area.
"We really didn't expect to get certified yet," Brack said. "We thought this was going to be a trial run, and they just certified us. We couldn't believe it."
Brack said the accreditation team was impressed with Agora's volunteers.
"We have a pretty awesome group," she said.
She said Agora's next goal is to join the Hopeline Network, a toll-free suicide hotline that directs callers to the nearest crisis center.
The high cost of maintaining a 1-800 number has prevented Agora from using one so far.
Agora, established more than 30 years ago, is the oldest student-run crisis center in the country and serves the Albuquerque area, she said. This semester, 60 people have volunteered, but she said that number usually reaches 100.
Brack said Agora is not only a suicide line or rape crisis center, but will listen confidentially to anyone's problems for free.
1-800-SUICIDE is a nationwide suicide hotline. Agora can be reached at 277-3013 or at agora@unm.edu.
