| The Golden Gate Bridge is the world's most popular suicide landmark, with the total number of suicide jumpers being within the thousands. The Bridge District in the Bay area is currently attempting to implement a suicide barrier in order to deter suicides from occurring at this location. The barrier project has been estimated to cost a total of 50 million dollars. At this point, there is no information as to how the project will be funded. However, after five decades the suicide barrier debate continues, with the central themes being human liberty, displacement and substitution methods. Proponents for the barrier believe it will decrease if not eradicate the possibility of jumping from the bridge. On the other hand, barrier opponents believe the barrier to be an irrational method for handling the issue of suicide, as it will prove to be unsuccessful.;The ASAPBAR Program was created out of pragmatic need for Bay Area residents, suicidal individuals and mental health practitioners. The program will train mental health practitioners from three existing community mental health agencies in San Francisco to provide psychotherapy, psychopharmacology, case management, and group counseling to suicidal individuals. The programs goals are to facilitate and encourage transition from hospitals and provide the suicidal and “high risk” patient with appropriate and effective outpatient treatment.;The ASAPBAR Program will serve as a replacement to the proposed suicide barrier on the Golden Gate Bridge, as the program understands that failures to address the patient's personal and unique construct replicates another moment of disconnection and rejection for the patient, which may fortify the patient's desire to die. In sum, the barrier is a quick fix, and a forceful financial burden that will most probably be placed on Bay Area residents.;Underlying reasons and motivations for suicide have not been accounted for in conversations for the proposed suicide barrier. Psychopathology, temperament, culture, and life experiences are aspects which represent the individual's suicide construct. Failure to account for these factors will result in an unsuccessful project. |
