September is Suicide Prevention Month, and the Berrien County Suicide Prevention Coalition is working to help provide more support to those affected by suicide.
In Berrien County, it’s estimated that for each suicide, there are 30 suicide attempts. The coalition’s Jess Kolbe says the group is looking to form a peer support group for those affected.
“For anyone that has attempted suicide, they have to be 18 or over, and they need that support afterwards because once you attempt it and you survive it, it’s like your life is just in a whirlwind,” Kolbe said. “It’s like, what do you do now? So, this support group would be there for people to walk them through it.”
The new peer support group, which is hoped to consists of about six to eight people, is aimed to help individuals who have dealt with suicidal thoughts or actions. Kolbe says the coalition hopes to have the group up and running soon.
“We actually have a meeting within the next couple weeks with the person that teaches us, so we’re hoping within the next year to get that up and running and get that going so people can come for that support…Have that person there to help find hope for them.”
The Berrien County Suicide Prevention Coalition is bringing back its 5k run and walk in downtown Baroda on September 21 . There will also be a luminary event in support of Suicide Prevention Month the same night.
