By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
Barton County Health Director Karen Winkelman informed the Barton County Commission Tuesday that her department received a $35,000 grant to be used to provide community-based suicide prevention services.
The Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) grant does not require additional staff or matching funds. Winkelman said the focus for this initiative will be training individuals to reduce suicidal attempts and deaths.
"We're needing to start with a complete community assessment survey," said Winkelman. "They survey will show what things are missing, what gaps, as far as suicide prevention. We know that there is 9-8-8 out there, but how many people really know that it's available. That's just one of the things."
The Barton County Health Department will work with other health care workers, school counselors and those working in mental health professions.
Commissioners Tricia Schlessiger and Barb Esfeld were pleased to see this initiative will include agriculture response, with farmers being a high-risk population for suicide.
"I think the statistic is that farmers are three and a half times higher for suicide," said Schlessiger. "This year is going to be extremely stressful with drought conditions."
"People don't think about agriculture," said Esfeld. "They're out on a tractor all day by themselves and they have all the heavy burden of finances."
"This is the second year of drought conditions," added Schlessiger. "Barton County is going to suffer this year."
An extension of the grant in 2025 will be determined on available funding.