Mental health professionals are seeing a decrease in the number of suicides in Sedgwick County, and more people are seeking help.
In 2014, there were 82 suicides in Sedgwick County. Last year, that number went down to 68. Nearly 75 percent of the suicides in 2015 were men – mostly middle-aged.
Deidre Helm is the program manager of Comcare’s Community Crisis Center, which is open 24 hours a day in downtown Wichita. Helm says more people are seeking help from the center and online.
"We have a beating the blues program, which is an internet based program where individuals can engage in that therapy program via their computer," Helm says. "We also offer outpatient therapy here at Comcare medication management. Those kinds of services help prevent the crisis from occurring."
The Community Crisis Center opened in 2015 and integrates substance abuse, detox and mental health services. Helm says there are a number of diversion options offered at the center to keep people out of the hospital and in the community.
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Carla Eckels is assistant news director and the host of Soulsations. Follow her on Twitter @Eckels.
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