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Tag: crisis center

  • Mental health crisis center opens in Prince William County – WTOP News

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    A new crisis center in Prince William County, Virginia, hopes to relieve the strain on hospitals and first responders and provide “understanding instead of judgment” to those seeking help for mental health.

    A new crisis center in Prince William County, Virginia, hopes to take the stigma out of mental health problems.
    (WTOP/Kyle Cooper)

    WTOP/Kyle Cooper

    chairs in large room at center
    A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Thursday for the new facility that’s located just beyond the parking lot of Potomac Mills mall.
    (WTOP/Kyle Cooper)

    WTOP/Kyle Cooper

    a desk at the crisis center
    Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chair Deshundra Jefferson said the center is about taking the stigma out of mental health problems. The 64-bed center is open 24/7 and is for anyone 12 or older, regardless of ability to pay.
    (WTOP/Kyle Cooper)

    WTOP/Kyle Cooper

    People who experience a mental health crisis sometimes end up in the emergency room, where they may have to wait a long time for help, or in jail after a clash with police. Prince William County, Virginia, is hoping to take pressure off hospitals and law enforcement with the opening of a new crisis receiving center.

    Vice Chair of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors Andrea Bailey has pushed for the center for five years.

    “The crisis receiving center will reduce the strain on our emergency rooms, provide critical relief to our first responders, and most importantly, offer residents a space where they are met with understanding instead of judgment, with treatment instead of trauma,” Bailey said.

    A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Thursday for the new facility that’s located just beyond the parking lot of Potomac Mills mall.

    Board Chair Deshundra Jefferson said the center is about taking the stigma out of mental health problems.

    “If we’re going to care for our community and about our community, it is incumbent of us to care for the most vulnerable among us,” Jefferson said.

    Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin was on hand for the ribbon-cutting.

    “If you are in crisis, come here to get the right help right now,” Youngkin said.

    This kind of care option has been part of Youngkin’s legislative agenda since taking office.

    “Fifty pieces of legislation were passed, 50, to my friends in the General Assembly thanks for working with us,” Youngkin said.

    The 64-bed center is open 24/7 and is for anyone 12 or older, regardless of ability to pay.

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    Kyle Cooper

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  • Family and friends come together for International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day

    Family and friends come together for International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day

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    FRANKENMUTH, Mich. (WNEM) – Family and friends of those lost to suicide gathered at Bavarian In for the “Hope Starts Here” conference.

    “it’s just a beautiful day, a wonderful event, where you’re surrounded by love and hope and caring and so much empathy in the room,” says Julie Hart who lost her nephew to suicide.

    The event was held for International Day Survivors of Suicide Loss.

    Hope Starts Here conference chair Barb Smith says, “there are events just like this all over the world being held. So this is our local event called Hope starts here is for anyone who has been impacted by suicide in a place to bring people together to let them know that they’re not alone in their grief journey.”

    The annual event hosted by the Barb Smith Resource and Response Network brought guest speakers and more than a dozen vendors offering resources to help those grieving or struggling with the loss of their loved ones.

    “We have a panel of families who have lost someone to suicide to talk about what their grief journey looked like and really the message of hope,” says Smith.

    Organizers say suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death in people between the ages of 10-22. And for every death to suicide there is 120-135 people who have been exposed to someone who has died by suicide.

    “We have 1400 deaths to suicide in Michigan, you know, that’s a lot of people who’ve been impacted that struggle alone. And suffer alone because, you know, we don’t want to talk about it because sometimes it can bring shame or guilt or you know, just kind of that lack of understanding,” says Smith.

    According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2020, more than 45,000 people died by suicide in the United States; that is 1 death every 11 minutes, and in the same year 1.2 million adults have attempted suicide.

    If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide you can call the suicide and crisis lifeline at 988.

    Copyright 2022 WNEM. All rights reserved.

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