This article is about suicide. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7, by calling or texting 988. please. To reach our 24/7 Crisis Text Helpline, text 4HOPE to 741741.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – May is Mental Health Awareness Month. As a way to raise awareness, local organizations held events to gather community voices for suicide prevention.
The hope is that by coming together, people can make a difference and support those in need. Organizers said the event is an opportunity to have meaningful conversations and learn how residents can contribute to suicide prevention in their communities.
“We just want to bring a message of hope and resiliency to our community and remind them that struggling with mental health is normal and there’s no need to worry,” said Christine Howard, director of communications for Franklin County Public Health (FCPH). I just want people to know that it’s not there.” .
On Friday, FCPH hosted the event as part of the Franklin County Suicide Prevention Coalition Spring Prevention Series. Panel discussions, Narcan administration, and “Stop the Bleed” training were held.
“This refers to training that the Franklin County Public Health Department has been conducting in the community for several years now to prevent all types of trauma,” Howard said.
The training taught participants how to apply life-saving compressions and tourniquets before trained medical professionals arrive on the scene.
According to the leaders, you can use whatever you can and it doesn’t have to be clean. He says it’s important to get whatever you can to stop the bleeding.
As this year is Mental Health Awareness Month, leaders felt now was the right time to raise awareness of this cause.
“I think this is important because so many people are struggling, and I think this is an issue that people sometimes find difficult to talk about,” Howard said. Although there are challenges, there are support resources out there and we just need to reach out to each other to find our support systems. ”
Organizers said it’s important to know you’re not alone and that help is available.
