MANSFIELD — Sherry Branham was moved to tears at a documentary screening Thursday night.
The Mansfield Playhouse, Richland County Mental Health and Recovery Services (MHRS) Board, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Richland County and 33 Forever hosted a free screening of “Suicide: The Ripple Effect” for National Suicide Prevention Month.
Branham, associate director of the MHRS board, handed out resource sheets with where to find help. The guide is also available online.
“You never know when you or a loved one might need these services,” she said.
Suicide attempt survivor and prevention speaker Kevin Hines spoke at the Renaissance Theatre last year and the MHRB board decided to screen his documentary to spread a message of hope.
“I’ve seen a lot in my career — a lot of pain, a lot of sorrow, addiction, abuse,” Branham said. “But through it all, hope. Hope has been the most powerful thing that has kept me trying to help people.
“So please keep your hope and offer it to others when they don’t have hope.”
Jeff and Donna Heck, founders of 33 Forever, also spoke about community resources before and after the documentary on Thursday night.
“Kevin Hines is now a personal friend of Donna’s and mine,” Jeff Heck said. “His story is powerful and impactful. I think the most important part of his story is the moment he realized that he had taken the step to end his life, he instantly knew he did not want to die.
“Since that day 23 years ago after recovering from his injuries, he has been a tireless advocate and a tireless spokesperson for staying here, being here tomorrow, giving it another day, and for you to fight through brain pain that some of us have to fight through.”
Kevin’s story
Hines jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge in September 2000 and fell about 240 feet. A coast guard officer saved him after he fractured his spinal cord and broke an ankle from the impact.
The international speaker said his survival and medical care after the attempt was a miracle.
“I bobbed up and down in the frigid water, trying to not swallow salt water,” he said in the documentary. “Then, something brushed my legs and I’m thinking ‘when is this shark going to bite me?’
“But it wasn’t a shark, it was a sea lion circling around me and keeping me afloat until the coast guard got there.”
Hines produced “The Ripple Effect” to spread awareness of help and hope for mental health treatment.
“It’s estimated that once suicide affects 115 people,” he said. “So the negative ripple effects are very real, but so are the positive affects from suicide prevention.
“The brain is an organ just like any other part of the body, and sometimes it needs help.”
The 93-minute film premiered in 2018. More information on buying the film or hosting a screening is on kevinhinesstory.com.
The prevention speaker has also authored two books — “Cracked, Not Broken” and “The Art of Being Broken.”
Local resources
Mary Kay Pierce, executive director of NAMI Richland County, told the documentary audience how to ask for support in crises. NAMI collaborates with the Mansfield Playhouse and MHRS board twice a year to provide crisis intervention training to first responders and security officers.
“If you’re ever experiencing a mental health crisis and you have to call 911, ask for a crisis intervention team-trained officer,” Pierce said. “All of those officers have taken a 40-hour training and understand how to de-escalate a crisis and get people to medical care.”
MHRS has a list of mental healthcare providers online. In an emergency, people should call the Catalyst Life Services crisis helpline 419-522-4357.
The MHRS Warmline is also available 24 hours a day to connect people with appropriate resources. The number is 419-522-5300.
“I try to tell the families we talk to that everyone should have that help sheet,” Pierce said. “Every business and every church home to show that there are a lot of people in Richland County that care.”