During the last Wellington City Council meeting that was hosted on August 28, Mayor Brad Timothy, proclaimed September as National Suicide Prevention and Awareness month for the city of Wellington.
However, many of the council members, as well as Mayor Timothy, felt as though proclaiming September as National Suicide Prevention and Awareness simply wasn’t enough and they wanted to do more. Council was given the contact information for Amanda McIntosh, who many people know as the go-to person when it comes to anything Suicide Prevention and Awareness.
McIntosh was then put on the agenda for the council meeting held on Sept. 11 to join Mayor Timothy and the Wellington City Council. Mayor Timothy expressed his gratitude in McIntosh’s attendance. McIntosh went on to tell the council of all of the different resources in the area as well as her ability to provide gun safes and locks to those in need. McIntosh advised that she is huge believer in the right to bare arms and is a gun owner herself, but also believes in gun safety.
Statistics prove that the chances of someone attempting suicide greatly decrease when there is a deterrence, because it forces a person to slow down and get through the immediate crisis that they are feeling.
Mayor Timothy and the council expressed their urge to do more for their city and wanted to know how they could help McIntosh share information on all of the resources available to those in Carbon County. Putting up signage down at the city office for the new 988 Suicide Hotline number was discussed.
988 can be called or text at any time, night or day, and the caller will be put through to a licensed therapist. Putting information in utility bills to help get the information out was also a topic of conversation.
McIntosh also invited those in attendance to the HOPE Walk that will be held Saturday, Sept. 14, beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the Price City Peace Gardens. She stated that she was happy to continue to work with Wellington City and further their relationship in making Mental Health awareness a priority.
