AustinTalks (http://austintalks.org/tag/mental-health/page/3/)
Faith leaders on the West Side are being encouraged to get trained on how to stop someone from having an overdose. At the monthly meeting of the 15th Police District’s faith-based leaders, attendees also were urged to complete training offered by the Chicago chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Free screening and linkage to care is available at the Westside Community Triage and Wellness Center (WCTWC) at 4133 W. Madison. Walk-ins are welcome, or residents can call the 24-hour crisis line at (773) 745-2610. “If people are feeling sad, depressed or hurt I urge them to take advantage of the free mental health support,” said state Rep. La Shawn Ford.
State Rep. La Shawn Ford will announce the formation of the West Side Behavioral Health Task Force on Monday. Joining Ford will be the heads of The Loretto Hospital, the Bobby E. Wright Comprehensive Behavioral Health Center and Habilitative Systems Inc.
The Chicago Police Department and Austin mental health professionals will lead a two-part discussion on June 4 and 11. The public’s input is being sought to help shape a plan for addressing Chicago youth’s exposure to traumatic events.
One of the main aims of the Westside Community Triage and Wellness Center, located at 4133 W. Madison is reducing the population of the Cook County Jail. Parents, grandparents and community residents are invited to a May 23 discussion about how to keep children safe this summer.
More than 50 men gathered earlier this month in Austin to sign a pledge against domestic violence. It’s part of the “100 Man Stand Challenge,” where participants pledged to stand up against all acts of violence.
The West Side Community Triage and Wellness Center, which opened in August, provides resources for those who have experienced trauma or mental health issues. The center also aims to correct misconceptions about methods of treatment like counseling or medications.
After the recent high-profile suicides of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain, state Rep. La Shawn Ford urges each of us to watch for signs of suicide in others and ourselves, and then get help.
The deaths this past week of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain underscore the challenge each of us face in preventing suicide. A report just released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 54 percent of Americans who died by suicide in 2016 had no known mental health illness.
Commissioner Richard Boykin and Cook County Sheriff Dart organized the June 19th discussion.