MADISON COUNTY — This month, BRiDGES – the Madison County Council on Alcoholism & Substance Abuse, Inc. will present two events aimed at furthering its mission to be a leader in providing advocacy, resources, and services to the community, the workforce, families, and individuals through the delivery of prevention and intervention programs that promote change, strengthen families, and build healthy communities.
In recognition of National Suicide Prevention Month, the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Madison County — a group hosted by BRiDGES — will present its third annual STEPtember for Suicide Prevention Walk on Saturday, Sept. 10, at 9:30 a.m., at Chapman Park in Bridgeport, NY.
Anyone interested in supporting suicide survivors, survivors of loss, and suicide prevention in Madison County is welcome to participate. Walkers can register online or in-person starting at 9:30 a.m. on the day of the event. An opening ceremony will begin at 10 a.m.
“Suicide loss touches more people in rural areas, including in Madison County, than we may ever know due to the stigma behind such losses,” said BRiDGES Executive Director Maureen Campanie. “We want to raise awareness, hope, and let people know they are not alone in this journey. Through providing a venue where suicide loss survivors can be connected to others who walk a similar path, it provides hope for the future.”
The walk will be held rain or shine. All donations will remain local and fund suicide prevention, education, and awareness initiatives.
To learn more about the event, register, or donate, visit bridgesorvirtualsuicideprevent or facebook.com/STEPtemberWalk.
The Suicide Prevention Coalition of Madison County works to raise awareness and reduce the rate of suicide by offering trainings, resource materials, speaker events, support for survivors of suicide, and other services/activities. Members are also working to develop a comprehensive strategic plan for suicide prevention and “postvention” — an organized response in the aftermath of a suicide — in Madison County.
“Raising awareness of suicide and reducing the rate of suicide in Madison County specifically is important because Madison County historically has had a higher rate of suicide loss than many counties in New York State,” said Campanie. “It is estimated that for every single suicide loss, 115 people are impacted. Raising awareness that people are not alone as loss survivors and that suicide can be prevented are two important aspects of the work.”
“988” is the new three-digit, nationwide phone number to connect directly to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline provides 24/7, confidential support to people in suicidal crisis or mental health-related distress. The caller is routed to their nearest crisis center to receive immediate counseling and local mental health referrals. For more information, visit 988lifeline.org.
Learn more about the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Madison County at bridgescouncil.org/suicide-prevention/.
Reasonable Suspicion & NY Marijuana Law Training
On Thursday, Sept. 29, BRiDGES will present a virtual Reasonable Suspicion & NY Marijuana Law Training from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The training includes practical suggestions and techniques for complying with the law while recognizing and dealing with issues of marijuana impairment in the workplace.
Participants will learn to recognize signs of long-term and recent use, and learn to properly document these incidents, confront the employee, and avoid violating any laws in the process.
“With the recent legalization of marijuana in New York State, we anticipate the workforce to be impacted,” said Campanie. “Employers, managers, and supervisors must be trained in how to manage situations that arise with employees on the job and have the skills and training to respond,” said Campanie. “Additionally, BRiDGES has operated an Employee Assistance Program for over 25 years and we want to ensure that companies we serve are well-informed through training opportunities.”
Michael L. Dodd, a partner with the law firm Ferrara Fiorenza PC, will lead the training.
According to Campanie, BRiDGES utilizes Ferrara Fiorenza PC for its employment law expertise.
“[The firm] hosts an annual employment conference that all employers should consider attending to brush up on current trends in the legal aspects of employment,” she said. “The annual conference was the inspiration for hosting this training, which will allow time to delve deeper into this topic as well as answer employer questions.”
The cost is $20 per person. Register at docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScJc-9JKuvFqnyoYdWRdDuVluGs55RxV5yCUEcHZC8CGByuPg/viewform.
For more information on the training, call 315-697-3947.
To learn more about BRiDGES, visit bridgescouncil.org.
