HUTCHINSON, Kan. – Horizons Mental Health Center is the recipient of a $12,500 grant from the Hutchinson Regional Medical Foundation to fund a “suicide prevention” workshop scheduled on September 11 at the Hutchinson Ramada Hotel & Convention Center.
The event, entitled “Breaking Barriers, Restoring Hope,” coincides with Suicide Prevention Awareness Week, an annual nationwide observance that runs September 7-13.
United Way of Reno County will join Horizons Mental Health Center and Hutchinson Regional Medical Foundation in presenting the event.
Headlining the day-long meeting are two nationally prominent speakers including a suicide survivor and a retired California Highway Patrolman whose main job responsibility was to monitor the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco in an effort to prevent suicides.
The meeting kicks off with a joint presentation from Kevin Hines and Kevin Briggs.
Hines is a suicide survivor. At 19 years old, Hines jumped from the Golden Gate Bridge hoping to end his life but survived to tell his story and, these days, travels the world for presentations to audiences on everything from depression to bullying, wellness in the workplace, along with drug and alcohol prevention.
Joining Hines for the two hour presentation will be Kevin Briggs, who retired in 2013 after a 23 year career with the California Highway Patrol where he earned the nickname “Guardian of the Golden Gate.”
Briggs’ major responsibilities included patrolling the area surrounding the Golden Gate Bridge, site of four or more suicide attempts monthly, along with multiple traffic collisions and a myriad of other law enforcement calls.
Other presenters include Rick Burr whose son, Mike, died as a result of suicide in 2012 after suffering from depression and addiction to alcohol and drugs.
Burr’s presentation entitled “Saving Lives, One Community at a Time,” concludes the morning session.
During the past two years, Burr has crisscrossed the nation for presentations on suicide prevention hoping to reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues. Also, Burr often meets one-on-one with families who are dealing with the loss of a family member as a result of suicide.
Sarah Kocher, LMSW, a therapist at Horizons Mental Health Center, addresses the group at 1:30 p.m. with a presentation entitled “Identify, Understand. And Respond to Individuals in Crisis.”
Kocher’s 90 minute presentation is designed to give parents, educators, pastors and social service workers tips on how to identify signs and symptoms of mental illness and how to respond in times of distress and avenues to connect the person with the proper agency for professional help.
“With greater community knowledge about mental health, we can help create a society where barriers are eliminated so people living with mental illness can maximize their opportunities to live, work and contribute to their communities without the fear of being ridiculed or looked down upon by their illness,” Kocher said.
Tom Borrego, Vice President of the Hutchinson Regional Medical Foundation, said the Foundation traditionally allocates grant funds for capital improvement projects for the healthcare system but made an exception when the opportunity arose to fund a suicide prevention workshop.
“Our Foundation board of directors felt strongly that the event was deserving of our support to provide information about suicide prevention to our community,” Borrego said.
Mike Garrett, M.S., LCP, CEO of Horizons Mental Health Center, said statistics show that suicides are increasing at an alarming rate throughout the nation.
“The Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System is committed to wellness programs on all levels of the medical spectrum including everything from mental health issues to heart disease,” said Kevin Miller, President and CEO of Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System. “We are hopeful that the day long meeting will arm healthcare professionals, educators, families, religious leaders and all other interested parties with new ideas and techniques on how to deal with those who are at risk of ending their lives.”
“The four presenters have a compelling story to tell and we are hopeful the public will take advantage of this great opportunity,” Garrett continued.
Entry fee for the seven hour event is $45 and includes lunch. Online registration will be available after July 1 through the Horizons Mental Health Center website, or interested parties can, if they wish, call Horizons at 620-663-7595 for additional information.