Suicide Prevention Conference at the Show Me Center
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KBSI) – The Missouri Suicide Prevention Network hosted the Suicide Prevention Conference at the Show Me Center Wednesday in Cape Girardeau.
The Missouri Suicide Prevention Conference welcomes everyone from community members, to suicide loss survivors, and more raising awareness about mental health and the well being of both adults and children.
Dr. Janese Neher from the Consoling to Change Center in Cape Girardeau attended the event. She says the conference was “focused on our youth and how I am important that it is no matter what age even younger ages six through 10 are involved in suicide idealization and how we can prevent as a community, as a family, as a school, as a mental health counseling organization, to help prevent suicide among the youth and adults in our area.”
Kay Gant works with the Counseling to Change Center in Cape Girardeau and she explains what the speakers discussed during the conference.
“The speakers were very effective and very efficient giving us the latest research that’s going on in the area of suicide. We learned the efforts and actions of the national suicide prevention organization the state of what they are doing for suicide and also local what they are doing through the various agencies and offices.”
Gant says the conference helps everyone take a step back and discover how they can make a difference, and help those who are struggling in the community.
“I’d like to say that it made me think a lot about what an issue and what a problem it is nowadays with suicide in the youth were all concerned about that but all the areas military, the elderly the people addicted, mental health issues, a lot of different types of suicide in society,” Gant said. “It gave us an insight on what we could do maybe even personally It made me think of what maybe I could do as a person to help people, friends or anyone I come in contact with especially if I see that they’re down or there showing some signs of all the different signs of suicide.”
Dr. Neher explained what resources are available for those who are dealing with these dangerous thoughts.
“Yes, there is so many resources out there that people can have access that’s free,” said Dr. Heher. “The 988 number, if we have suspicion of someone going to commit suicide, how to get help how to know what to do if we have any doubt or go to a counselor, or go to the hospital, they have the agencies there, social workers there, so they’re plenty of resources around that we can go to and ask questions about suicide prevention.”
You can make a difference in the community.
“So we all, each of us can help prevent a suicide, and suicide can be prevented,” said Dr. Neher. “That’s what we’re all about.”
