Wood County Suicide Prevention Coalition invites community to join efforts

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), the U.S. has a suicide every 11 minutes. With the increasing number of suicide deaths, there is an increasing number of those affected by suicide loss.

The public is invited to join the Wood County Suicide Prevention Coalition for its kick-off event on Wednesday, Sept. 14, at Bowling Green City Park in the Veterans Building Atrium. This event will be held in two sessions: 4-5 p.m. and 5-6 p.m. 

There will be local community members explaining how we as a community can prevent suicide deaths, how the coalition can help those who have lost a loved one to suicide, and hear first-person perspectives from individuals living in recovery. 

Food will be provided during each session. 

There will be an opportunity for people to sign-up to be a part of the Wood County Suicide Prevention Coalition. Sign up for either session to learn more about the work being done in Wood County to prevent suicide deaths. Visit https://woodcountysuicideprevention.org/events/ to register for this free event.

The Wood County Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services Board works with the Wood County Suicide Prevention Coalition to provide support groups for those affected in the community. Their goal is to show the community of Wood County the importance of warning signs, resources, and treatment for suicide. 

Local support groups for can be found through the Wood County Suicide Prevention website at https://woodcountysuicideprevention.org/support-groups/. The Suicide Survivors Support Group meets in Perrysburg every second and fourth Tuesday of the month. It is hosted through Unison Health and located at 1011 Sandusky St., in Suite C. For more information, call Unison Health at 419-352-4624.

For immediate help, call the Wood County Crisis Line at 419-502-HOPE (4673).

The Wood County ADAMHS Board promotes community well-being and increases quality of life for Wood County. They exist to advocate, plan and fund community-based mental health and addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery services for the community. For more information on Wood County ADAMHS, visit https://www.wcadamh.org or follow them on Facebook or Instagram.