September is Suicide Prevention Month
As September is Suicide Prevention Month, we wanted to take this opportunity to remind our community of the Living Room as a resource for any Minnesotan aged 18 or older. This mental health service is completely free to access, and visits can be in-person or via telehealth.
Often times people who are experiencing a mental health crisis don’t get reach out for help because they are afraid of hospitalization—and some people have significant trauma with institutional medical settings. We created the Living Room not just to be a free mental health resource, but also a resource for people who have trauma that makes more traditional mental health care settings an obstacle to receiving the care they need. Instead of a sterile, clinical environment, the Living Room is cozy. Rather than meeting with a doctor whose credentials may be intimidating, visitors meet with Peer Support Specialists—folks who have gone through their own journey with mental health and/or chemical dependency, and can provide care from a place of lived experience.
The Peer Support Specialists who staff the Living Room are experienced in supporting people experiencing mental health crises— since opening in 2024, we have received 163 visitors who otherwise would have used a crisis service or gone to the hospital and received 121 referrals from hospitals. Only 3 of those visitors required hospitalization, and with the help of the Living Room staff they got a warm handoff to the hospital, rather than having to sit in a stressful waiting room for hours before getting care. This has obvious benefits for our visitors, but it also has a financial benefit for our community. All these hospital diversions have saved nearly $1 million of public resources.
Need mental health support for yourself, or know someone who could use such support? Click here to learn more about the Living Room. You can call 651-251-2629 any day of the week from noon to 8 p.m. to set up a telehealth visit with a Peer Support Specialist, or you can visit the Living Room on a walk-in basis during the same hours at 2265 Hillcrest Ave., St. Paul, MN 55116.
