Suicide Prevention Month education featured on Newsmakers

(From KGCS)

People can now dial 988 and get professional help in times of a mental health crisis. It is just one tool being used to reduce the number of suicides and attempts at self-harm. September is Suicide Prevention Month and Newsmakers brings focus to ways we all can help people in distress.

Ozark Center Director of Crisis Services Debbie Fitzgerald and Assistant Director of Crisis Services Stephen McCullough share information about the local 988 call center and Urgent Behavioral Solutions, an alternative to the emergency room for those in crisis. 

They also discuss details of the Beacon of Hope event taking place September 21st at the Joplin Public Library which will feature training on Ask, Listen, Refer, mental health professionals to answer questions and an activity to honor those we’ve lost. 

Roger Koch offers details of the Veteran Integration Program that helps veterans dealing with issues such as PTSD or traumatic brain injury. And Jacob Hefner, Director of Adult Psychiatric Practices at Ozark Center introduces a new program for MSSU football athletes called Performance Psychology designed to help them deal with stress and emotions associated with a high-performance sport.

Newsmakers is airing nightly at 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. the week of September 1 on KGCS-TV and will air at 5:30 a.m. Saturday, September 7 on KOAM-TV. It is also posted on the station’s YouTube channel: KGCS - Missouri Southern State University.

KGCS programming can be seen on channel 21 and is also available on regional cable television systems such as Sparklight, Mediacom and Optimum Internet in Carthage. The station operates as a service of the Department of Communication at Missouri Southern State University.