PINE BLUFF (KATV) — Mental health awareness was a major topic of discussion in Pine Bluff today.
The D’Andre Seals Suicide Prevention Outreach Project hosted an event with health care professionals to provide resources in an effort to help inform the community on different mental health resources.
Of the guests in attendance, Dr. Stephen Broughton, a psychiatrist in Pine Bluff, says giving the community access and knowledge on mental health resources is key, as many do not know where to begin.
“Provide information on who helps the people that help other people.”
Dr. Broughton says the stigma surrounding mental health leads many tending to feel embarrassed by the fact that they should even need help in the first place.
“We’ve had a couple of tragedies recently. The most significant one has been one of the deputies in the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department who committed suicide less than two months ago. “
Dr. Broughton says it’s surprising the number of individuals who do not know where to begin or do not have easy access to mental health resources.
He says it is events like this that bring the community together to take care of one another, and the people who take care of us.
“So involved in taking care of others that we sometimes forget to take care of ourselves.”
Dr. Broughton was joined at the event by Rawle Andrews, the Executive Director of The American Psychiatric Association Foundation.
Together they hope to be able to help provide the community with the mental health resources they need.
