Chester resident, village police raise awareness for mental health hotline

Like too many local families, Chester resident Kai Sorensen has been impacted by suicide. After his cousin died by suicide in the winter of 2014, Sorensen became determined to spread the word about the mental health resources available to people in crisis. On the national level, he directs and participates in podcasts about mental health produced through the company Balancing Life’s Issues. Locally, he is working with the village and town of Chester to spread awareness about the 988 mental health crisis line.

“I’ve seen firsthand what it can do to a family. The years of turmoil and sadness...,” Sorensen explained. “Through the work I do normalizing the mental health conversation through podcasting, many of the conversations I’ve had recently are around the roll out of 988 as a national hotline for those in crisis and how it’s important we teach the public why and when you would call 988 as opposed to 911.”

He moved to Chester from Brooklyn with his wife during the pandemic. “We knew nothing about the area but fell in love with Chester, made great friends, and decided to lay our roots down here for years to come with our first child Miles.”

While walking the Heritage Trail, he noticed the suicide prevention signs near one of the overpasses listed 911 as the number to call, rather than the dedicated 988 line. He decided to see if new signs could replace the old ones, and whether additional signage could be placed around town. A few inquires led him to Chester Village Police Chief Timothy McGuire, who knew all too well why those signs were positioned at the overpass in the first place.

On August 31, 2012, McGuire, a longtime resident and detective at the time, was called to the Heritage Trail for a reported suicide. A young man took his own life by jumping from the overpass. Just a few months later in November of that year, McGuire returned to the scene for another reported suicide at the same location.

“That kind of stuck with me,” said McGuire, who had also experienced a similar tragedy in his own family. Soon after, the 911 signage was placed around the overpass, and the fencing was changed to prevent people from climbing up it to the overpass.

When Sorensen came to him 12 years later asking to update those signs, McGuire was open to the change. “I tell everyone, I can’t think of everything, so if someone comes up with an idea and they want to throw it at me, I’m all about it,” said McGuire. “I’ve driven past [the old signs] thousands of times and when he brought it to my attention, I said, ‘Wow that’s a great idea, let’s get it rolling.’”

With some insight from McGuire and help from a mental health clinician, Sorensen designed new signs to replace those at the Heritage Trail overpass. The new signs will let people know to call 988 for suicidal ideations and mental health crises, and 911 for emergencies.

Sorensen explained, “It’s important that police also understand the difference between 988 and 911 and to be humbled in knowing that they are not the most qualified to intervene during a mental health crisis. So much of the criticism around the murder of George Floyd and the resulting conversations were about what police are for, and what they are not for. The police sponsoring a message to call 988 during a mental health crisis is a step in the direction of progress on how a police force can best support a community.”

Regarding dialing 988 over 911, McGuire agreed that some people might not feel comfortable talking with police during a mental health crisis and may instead opt for someone who deals with those situations on a more regular basis. But even within his own precinct discussions of mental health have increased, both in the training given to officers when faced with people undergoing a mental health crisis, and in the resources available to officers. McGuire said while officer trainings are still limited, and sometimes hard to find, there are more resources today for officers than there were even five years ago.

“There was always stigma,” McGuire said regarding mental health issues among police. “Now, in the last few years, it’s starting to get, not where it should be, but slowly getting better.”

The new signage is being created by Sonic Signs in Florida. McGuire said four will be placed at the Heritage Trail overpass and four will be placed at the overpass at Route 94 and Route 17. Pending cooperation from the town, additional signage may also be placed at Chester community parks. The new signs are expected to be up in the coming weeks.

Those experiencing a mental health crisis can call or text 988 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or visit 988lifeline.org.