SULLIVAN, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — A new way to prevent or stop a suicide attempt has made its way to Sullivan.
After a presentation Monday afternoon at Sullivan City Hall, Westside Church gave local law enforcement and officials suicide prevention packs, filled with a number of things to help residents in need.
Lisa Stepro, a member of Westside Church and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, said each pack comes with multiple safety items and contact information.
“There will be a gun lock, there will be a medication deactivation kit, there will be Narcan, and also resource information such as 988”, Stepro said. “That is the crisis line, for any crisis, not just suicide. We have Veterans Crisis Line information in there and then we also have information about the church.”
The idea of packs comes from a non-profit organization in Jasper, Indiana.
Senior Pastor for Westside Church, Jason Jones, said the church raised money, so the packs are free of charge for residents in the community.
“The church put together a fundraiser through the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility, they donated a quilt and then we did a raffle for that”, Jones said. “The Shelburn Police Department also donated $500. The church put in some money, but the people put in the rest of the money. We’re going to continue to get donations, and the church will pay for it if we have to.”
Sullivan Mayor J.D. Wilson said this initiative will help law enforcement stop a suicide situation before it starts.
“If they’re first on the scene or they encounter someone that may be experiencing signs or symptoms, or if, ahead of time, identify people that need this, they will have it on them”, Wilson said. “They’ll have it in their car; they’ll have it on their person and be able to reach into this bag and prevent that from happening.”
Stepro said they won’t know if the packs are successful for some time, but they aren’t worried about the numbers.
“If these packs save one life, then everything that we have done to get these put together is worth it”, Stepro said.
Residents of Sullivan can also receive a suicide prevention pack of their own. They just need to go to Westside Church or the Sullivan County Veteran’s Affairs Office.
