Since 1991, The Black Hills Area Survivors of Suicide has sponsored free support groups in Rapid City for adults who have lost a loved one to suicide. Now, a support group will be available for teens.

"A number of young people or their parents have asked us for help over the past year," Laura Boyd, the group's facilitator, said, "so we're hoping that teenagers will benefit from their own support group."

The groups are "peer-led" by trained facilitators who themselves have lost a loved one to suicide and who volunteer their services. The person giving guidance to the teen group is Brandy Strom Dugger, a Rapid City counselor who lost her cousin to suicide.

Boyd emphasized that only teenagers may attend, noting that younger children may have special needs that ought to be assessed by a professional counselor specializing in children or families.

Both the teen and the adult groups will meet the second Tuesday of every month from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at First Congregational Church, 1200 Clark Street. The next meeting will be April 8.

Anyone who would like to attend either support group should call beforehand and talk to Laura Boyd at 721-7720 or Brandy Strom Dugger at 343-7262.