Heartland Human Services Sponsors Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Walk
Effingham, IL (PRWEB) September 10, 2013 -- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) reports every 13.7 minutes a human being dies through committing suicide. Suicide claims more than 38,000 lives each year, a figure high enough to rank as the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. In an effort to support the community and raise awareness about this devastating public health issue, Heartland Human Services, a local behavioral health and counseling agency has announced sponsorship for the 3rd Annual “Out of the Darkness” Community Walk taking place in Effingham, IL.
This year’s community walk will be held on Saturday, September 28 at 9:00AM at Community Park along Temple Avenue in Effingham, IL. An invocation, guest speaker, and special remembrance sharing time has been planned for participants providing an opportunity to honor and remember loved ones, relatives, and friends lost to suicide.
“We are very pleased with the growth and community interest in this event,” says Ula Hynds, walk coordinator at Heartland. “Every year, we see more participation. We think this can be a very meaningful event for the Effingham region and look forward to promoting this very important cause every year.”
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) coordinates similar walks nationwide to raise money for vital research and education programs to help the general public improve their understanding of suicide and ways to prevent it. The walks are organized to increase community awareness around the topics of depression and suicide, while providing a support network for those who have experienced loss.
Suicide is a major national health issue that has a devastating impact on family, friends, and the community at large. There are many factors and indicators that point to an individual that may be suicidal, including depression, family history of suicide, family violence, substance abuse, and incarceration to name a few. Research helps organizations liked the AFSP to identify ways to intervene and ultimately prevent suicide before an at risk individual makes an attempt.
For more information about the Effingham, IL “Out of the Darkness” Community Walk, contact Ula Hynds at Heartland Human Services at 217-347-7179 or by visiting http://www.effinghamwalk.org or http://www.afsp.org.
About Heartland Human Services:
For over 40 years, Heartland Human Services has been the behavioral health and counseling agency for Effingham County, Illinois. Providing a broad array of behavioral healthcare services, Heartland Human Services vows to serve their community and region with quality behavioral health care and rehabilitative services that assist people in their recovery process. For more information, please call (217) 347-7179, or visit Heartland Human Services online at http://www.heartlandhs.org.
Media Contact:
Ula Hynds, Heartland Human Services
Phone: 217-347-7179
Ula Hynds, Heartland Human Services, http://www.heartlandhs.org/index.htm, +1 (217) 347-7179, [email protected]
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