Contributed report
Central Minnesota Mental Health Center (CMMHC) has announced its campaign to raise awareness about its crisis service hotline for individuals in Benton, Stearns, Sherburne, and Wright counties. The public relations drive will feature billboards, radio ads, on-premises signage at retail locations throughout the region, and other outreach to promote the hotline to residents facing a mental or chemical health crisis.
Set to begin in early September, Suicide Prevention Awareness and National Recovery Month, this promotion aims to reduce the stigma associated with seeking help for mental and chemical health issues. The tagline “If life is not OK, it’s OK to call. Any time. Any reason” highlights the availability of CMMHC’s crisis line and mobile crisis team for any number of stressors. CMMHC’s crisis number, 320-253-5555, is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The campaign is a CMMHC and the MN Department of Health and Human Services partnership.
“We want people to know that our crisis line is not only for those with suicidal thoughts but is available for anyone in emotional distress. Symptoms for a person in crisis can range widely and can include rapid mood swings, agitation, impulsive behavior, confused thinking, difficulty sleeping and concentrating, decreases or increases in appetite, low motivation, increase in anxiety and irritability, or racing thoughts, says CMMHC Director of Crisis Services Shannon Link. “A mental health crisis can be scary for the person experiencing it, as well as their loved ones.”
The above list is not all-inclusive, but if you or someone you know are experiencing similar signs, CMMHC’s hotline can help. Calling the crisis line allows professionals to help de-escalate the situation, assess the individual, and offer treatment options. While a mental health crisis looks different for everyone, the bottom line is that it is important to take action and seek support.
“A person is likelier to encounter someone in an emotional crisis than a person having a heart attack,” says Jessica Brandon, CEO of CMMHC, “so it is essential to let our community know how to access help for those in crisis. This campaign gets the word out about the hotline to the people who need it most in our community.”
CMMHC is working to promote its hotline for Wright County residents facing mental or chemical health crisis.