FISHERS, Ind. – To address mental health concerns in Fishers, city leaders developed and released information on an initiative to prevent suicide and other acts of self-harm.
Mayor Scott Fadness said he recognized the need after learning in 2014 there were 157 “immediate detentions by Fishers Police Department on individuals who expressed a desire to hurt themselves or someone else.”
"Last week alone, we six or seven people alone that we had to take to Community North Mental Health Hospital because they were in such bad shape that we felt they were either going to do harm to themselves or someone else. So this is real. It's not just Fishers, it's statewide," said Fadness.
The Fishers Mental Health Initiative’s recommendations under education and training include:
-
Developing an education program for first responders
-
Completing a quarterly review of the city’s mental health runs
-
Enhancing partnerships with behavioral health providers
-
Training school staff to recognize signs of mental health issues
-
Developing a youth training program for public safety departments
-
Developing a community-wide communications campaign
The initiative also included remodeling the community paramedicine program to include protocol for mental health calls and developing an Intensive Care Coordination program for youth.
Earlier this month, Executive Director of Youth Mentoring Initiative, Todd Melloh, spent several days on top of The Edge Building parking garage near 116th Street to bring awareness to mental health.
RELATED | Fishers man stays on parking garage roof to bring awareness to mental health | Fishers task force highlights mental health education
You can read the full report and other recommendations below.
