NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: October 17, 2005

Documentary on Teen Suicide Wins Two Emmy Awards

(Santa Fe, NM)--“Coming Back,” a documentary on youth suicide, received Emmy awards in the Writing and Documentary categories at the Rocky Mountain Southwest Emmy Awards ceremony on September 10 in Phoenix.

The documentary was initiated by Sam Garcia CEO of Competitive Benefits Administrators and Chris Schueler of Christopher Productions to encourage awareness of the warning signs of suicide in New Mexico and was supported by the New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED), the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department, the Department of Health, and the Human Services Department in association with Cooperative Educational Services, Competitive Benefits Administrators, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico, New Mexico Parent Teacher Association, New Mexico Suicide Prevention Coalition, the New Mexico Coalition of School Administrators, KNME TV, KOAT TV, KRWG TV, KENW TV and The Albuquerque Journal.

Education Secretary Dr. Veronica C. García said, “I congratulate the collaboration and partnership that produced this sensitive and important documentary, and I am glad that the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter has recognized our work. If one young life is saved, then all the work was worthwhile and the message has been heard.”

New Mexico’s suicide rates have historically been nearly twice the national rate and suicide is the third leading cause of death among NM youth. 2001 statistics indicate that one in five adolescents in New Mexico had seriously considered killing themselves and one in ten had attempted suicide.

The 30-minute documentary, “Coming Back: A death and life story about sons, daughters and friends.” told from the viewpoint of teens who have attempted suicide was broadcast December 15th, 2004 on the New Mexico PBS stations (KNME-TV Albuquerque/Santa Fe - Ch. 5, KRWG-TV Las Cruces - Ch. 22 and KENW-TV Portales - Ch. 3) and on December 16 and 18 on ABC station KOAT-TV 7 and its sister stations in New Mexico.

###