September is Suicide Prevention month – a time dedicated to raising awareness of suicide, remembering those lost and, critically, connecting people to vital resources they can turn to in times of distress.
As the state-designated Community Mental Health Center for the eight-county Northern Kentucky region, helping people in crisis is one of the NorthKey Community Care’s primary areas of focus.
We offer a wide variety of services to get people the help they need, regardless of their ability to pay.
NorthKey staffs and manages the 988 Crisis Hotline, which is available to residents 24/7 The NorthKey-led 988 Coalition brings together community partners from across our service area to discuss needs, identify trends and generally determine ways to improve.
Next month, NorthKey will launch a multi-channel advertising and marketing campaign to drive awareness of this vital resource.
Last month, NorthKey launched the Crisis Stabilization Unit, which provides direct assistance to individuals in crisis. The CSU includes everything from a rapid response team dispatched directly to the homes of people experiencing crisis to transportation for individuals in urban and rural areas. In addition to providing critical assistance, the CSU will also lead to a reduction in hospitalizations, emergency room visits and interaction with law enforcement.
NorthKey also provides mental health support to kids in more than 60 schools in eight Northern Kentucky school districts through on-the-ground clinicians it trains and manages.
And we offer police training for managing youth in crisis, helping police navigate one of the most challenging parts of their job. We are proud to work with our partners in blue to improve resolution of these incidents.
Whether you or a loved one is struggling, always remember that there is hope, and there is help. When we stand together in strength, dignity, hope, and purpose, we can make a difference—we can help save lives.
Danielle Amrine is president and CEO of NorthKey Community Care.