Mayor Scott Fadness began his Mental Health Initiative Report to the Community Monday afternoon with some statistics and stories from the previous week. When police arrive at the scene of a resident suffering a mental health episode that is serious, that person is subject to what is termed in law enforcement parlance an “immediate detention.”
The mayor said one immediate detension run was for a person suffering from depression and schizophrenia, feeling down and seeking help. Another run involved a woman reporting her daughter had sent suicidal messages that were “concerning,” finding a gun on the stairway. In yet another, a suicidal man was attacking himself with a knife and was bleeding. Another man was threatening suicide over the recent breakup with his girlfriend.
So there was a total of 7 immediate detentions in Fishers during one week in July. The mayor said there were 11 suicides in Fishers during 2016 and 5 so far in 2017.
That set for the stage for the panel discussion led by the mayor to talk about the accomplishments of his 2 1/2 year initiative to deal with mental health issues in Fishers.
During the panel discussion, Dr. Suzanne Clifford of Inspiring Transformations said suburbia, in general. is ignored in the area of mental health services. She added that, of all places, Silicon Valley in California contains a “cluster” of suicides.
Dr. Bernice A. Pescosolido was the keynote speaker for the luncheon, held at Launch Fishers. She described how stigma devalues a person as a human being, separating the stigmatized person from the rest of society. She has worked to deal with the stigma felt by those needing treatment for mental health issues.
“The only way to reduce stigma and to improve the lives of people with mental health is to do multi-level, long-term changes, because society’s change slowly,” Dr. Pescosolido said.
Dr. Pescosolido has worked nationally on the issue of mental health stigma, even working on such stigma that exists within the medical profession.
Mayor Fadness said the issue of mental health in the growing suburban city of Fishers is “real.” He made clear his initiative to address mental health in his city is far from over.
