Listening sessions to discuss mental health and suicide prevention in Aiken County

Bianca Moorman, Aiken Standard, S.C.
·2 min read

Jan. 10—Reducing the stigma of mental health and suicide through conversations will be discussed at two upcoming listening sessions.

The Aiken-Barnwell Suicide Prevention Coalition and the Aiken-Barnwell Mental Health Center have partnered to hold the community listening sessions. The sessions will focus on mental health and suicide prevention and to get feedback.

"We really believe that it is important to get the community's input in helping us to find the problem in our community, as well as to be part of the solution," said Tamara Smith, executive director of the Aiken-Barnwell Mental Health Center.

Sessions, open to those 18 and older, will be held throughout Aiken County.

One session will be held Thursday at the Odell Weeks Activities Center in Aiken and another will be held Thursday, Jan. 19, at the Bel-Ridge Baptist Church Social Hall in North Augusta. Both sessions will be from 6-7 p.m.

Law enforcement agencies from Aiken and Barnwell counties, veterans services groups, the Aiken Center for Alcohol and Drugs and other mental health agencies will also be available .

The Aiken-Barnwell Mental Health Center is a community health center and is one of 16 affiliated with the South Carolina Department of Mental Health.

The mission of the agency is to support adults, children and families in mental health recovery through outpatient care, community-based services at schools and the detention center, and therapy sessions.

Smith said they want to hear from members of the community and to figure out a way to address challenges, find what is working, share resources and find out what the needs are.

"We know that Aiken County does experience a higher rate of suicide, and one for us is one suicide too many," Smith said.

Smith said the agency has looked at suicide data from 2017-2022, and found that Aiken County was second in the state for the number of suicides.

Smith said the COVID-19 pandemic, schools being closed, the economic downturn and civil unrest have made people more aware of discussing mental health.

"For the past three years we have experienced substantiated stress ... all of us at some point in time," Smith said.

Training and Development Coordinator at Aiken-Barnwell Mental Health Center and Zero Suicide Task Force Coordinator Bianca Otterbein said more people have become more comfortable discussing mental health.

"For so long there has been a myth that if I ask about suicide, it is going to somehow put the idea in somebody's head," Otterbein said.

Smith said the goal of the sessions is to make sure people have access to and are aware of mental health resources.

They also aim so stress that there is hope and that mental health issues are treatable, Smith said.

Those dealing with a mental health crisis can call the Department of Mental Health Statewide Mobile Crisis 24/7 crisis line at 833-364-2274 or 988 .