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Suicides in Massena inspire creation of We Care Walk-In Center

Posted 5/31/12

MASSENA – A special walk in center has been established in hopes of preventing more area suicides. We Care Walk-In Center at 56-58 Main St., next to the town hall, will provide suicide prevention …

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Suicides in Massena inspire creation of We Care Walk-In Center

Posted

MASSENA – A special walk in center has been established in hopes of preventing more area suicides.

We Care Walk-In Center at 56-58 Main St., next to the town hall, will provide suicide prevention services and counseling.

Several local suicides late last year moved Massena Police Chief Timmy Currier to ask the community to focus on the issue, and one of the results is the center.

Church leaders in Massena have been working to develop the walk-in center.

Currier said that “These leaders are willing to help people that are hurting emotionally and spiritually by taking the time to listen to people and talk with those in need and make referrals when someone is in distress.”

Currier spoke of three suicides in the village, one Nov. 16 when a man fired off shotgun rounds in the village, forcing Massena schools to lock down until police declared the situation resolved, but only after the man had killed himself; another on Nov. 19, when a man shot himself in the chest with a shotgun at the Massena Memorial Hospital emergency room; and a third unspecified case.

Currier said he was alarmed at the string, noting that to his knowledge, there had not been a year when there were more than three suicides in Massena, and at least one recent year, 2006, when there were none.

An open house at the We Care Walk-In Center is set for Thursday, June 7 from 11 a.m. to noon at the Downtown Outreach Center (DOC) at 56-58 Main St., next to Town Hall.

At the open house, a brief introduction to the program will take place at 11:30 a.m. We Care staff will be on hand to answer questions.

Refreshments will be served.