September is National Suicide Prevention Month
Published on September 18, 2024
Take a moment this month to learn the warning signs and what to do if someone you love is displaying unusual behavior.
Warning signs indicating thoughts of suicide
- Emotional mood swings, feelings of hopelessness, sadness, anxiety, depression, anger, loss of interest.
- Behavioral withdrawal, giving away possessions, recklessness, poor sleep and eating patterns, researching ways to take their life.
- Verbal cues such as “I am a burden,” “Everyone would be better off without me here,” or “I wish I could go to sleep and not wake up.”
What you can do to help
- Point them to a trusted adult or peer.
- Stay calm and listen with empathy.
- Act on your instincts, including removing any means of self-harm and getting emergency help.
Get emergency help
- Call 9-8-8 (Suicide Hotline)
- Text HOME to 741-74 for the Crisis Text Line
The City of Lakewood has partnered with Care Solace so that one call to them can make it easier to get the help you need after stabilization.
Download and share this flyer on suicide prevention and awareness(PDF, 365KB)
How Care Solace can help
Care Solace has a 24/7/365 hotline and website that Lakewood community members can contact--for free--to get a list of mental health care professionals in their area who accept their insurance and specialize in the issues they are facing.
Care Solace will even contact those professionals and assist in setting up your appointment – again, all at no charge, and with total confidentiality for you.
Care Solace is there to take the hassle and difficulty out of getting mental health care, and to make it just as easy to get mental health care as it is to get care for other health ailments.
Even if you don’t have insurance, Care Solace will get you an appointment with a mental health professional at little or no cost to you.
About Care Solace
“The founder and CEO of Care Solace has a very compelling story about how he hit rock bottom with mental health and addiction problems about 10 years ago,” said Lakewood City Manager Thaddeus McCormack.
“He knew he needed help, but there was a maze of hurdles in his way to getting seen by anyone. He ultimately did, and recovered from his problems, but he vowed as a personal mission to create a way to make it easier for others to access help in the future. And he’s done a remarkable job building an innovative service that has now helped over 15 million Americans access mental health care.
"Care Solace comes highly recommended by cities and school districts that have used it across the nation, and I am optimistic that they will be helpful as well to Lakewood community members, which includes residents or people who work in our city.”
Care Solace can also help Lakewood community members eligible for social services support in need get access to:
- Food.
- Housing.
- Affordable medical and dental care.
Call Care Solace at 888-515-7881 to get started.
Hear from clients of Care Solace...and its founder (VIDEO)
Care Solace Story from Care Solace on Vimeo.
After you try Care Solace...we want to hear from you
"Each of us needs to commit to prioritizing our mental health, and at the City of Lakewood we want to do our part to help," said McCormack. "We’re excited to be partnering in that effort with Care Solace.
“We do want to measure how many Lakewood community members use Care Solace and how helpful they find it."
Lakewood has set up an online survey where you can answer a few questions completely confidentially (without leaving your name or email address) if you use Care Solace.
Take the Care Solace survey