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Nexus-Gerard Family Healing recently held a safeTALK suicide prevention workshop for the Austin community at the Community Action Building. 

Livingworks safeTALK is a widely respected training program designed to equip individuals with the skills to recognize and engage with persons who may be having thoughts of suicide. By teaching participants how to identify signs and connect those at risk with life-saving resources, safeTALK empowers community members to play an active role in suicide prevention. 

Commendation for Participants

Workshop participants demonstrated a great deal of courage and willingness to engage in discussions about such a difficult topic. Suicide is a challenging subject to address, yet their eagerness to learn how to provide support and foster hope in others was truly admirable. 

The workshop will contribute to creating a safer, more informed community where every life is valued and supported. Karen Wolf, Executive Director of Nexus-Gerard Family Healing, commented “Nexus-Gerard Family Healing is proud to be part of a community that prioritizes mental health and is committed to working together to prevent suicide. Together, through education and awareness, we can offer hope and help to those who need it most.”

Special Thanks to Don and Marsha Leathers  

A generous donation of proceeds from the Mental Health Awareness Benefit, held by Don and Marsha Leathers in memory of their beloved son, made it possible for this essential training to be offered free of charge to the community. Their support and dedication to mental health awareness have been instrumental in spreading suicide prevention awareness throughout the community.

Special Guest

Carly White, operations manager for Southeast Regional Crisis Center, also presented to the group about the services and resources that SERCC has available for both children and adults experiencing a mental health crisis. SERCC, operated by Nexus Family Healing, is a 24/7 walk-in crisis care center located in Rochester that serves 10 counties in southern Minnesota, including Mower County.

Nexus-Gerard Family Healing is part of Nexus Family Healing, a national nonprofit network of mental health agencies with over 50 years of restoring hope for thousands of children, families, and adults through community mental health services, foster care and adoption, and residential treatment. We use innovative, personalized approaches to heal trauma, break cycles of harm, and reshape futures. 

Learn more at NexusGerard.org.