CentraCare Launches New Suicide Prevention Program

ST. CLOUD -- A new program at CentraCare Health is helping to raise awareness about suicide in central Minnesota.

Lisa Bershok is the new Suicide Prevention Program Manager. She says she spends a lot of time giving presentations out in the community.

I've worked with a couple of workplaces because we know that 80 percent of individuals who die by suicide are of working age.  So these are our co-workers.  If you think about where we spend the majority of our time it's at work.

One if five Americans experience mental illness. However, 60 percent of adults and 50 percent of youth with mental illness do not receive the mental health services they need.

CentraCare Foundation's 2019 Community Campaign, which runs through the end of the year, is raising money for the Suicide Prevention Program. Design Electric is matching any new donation up to $100,000.