Riley County Health Department talks mental health awareness as suspected overdoses rise

MANHATTAN (KSNT) – Officials in Riley County are highlighting the dangers that come with illegal drug use and alcoholism this week as they monitor a troubling rise in suspected overdoses in the community.

Vivienne Leyva with Riley County said in a press release on June 18 that officials with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) tracked a total of 35 visits to emergency departments in Riley County from April 27 to May 31. The reason behind each of these visits is suspected overdoses of substances including the following:

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• Alcohol.
• Benzodiazepines.
• Cocaine.
• Methamphetamine.
• Opioids.

Leyva said the average age among these patients was 34 with 46% being men and 54% being women. She said a typical five-week time span in Riley County usually sees around 16 overdose-related visits to emergency services. A significant number of the emergency department visits, 14 out of 35, are also suspected as having a connection to suicide attempts.

The Riley County Health Department is helping spread awareness in the wake of these incidents about local treatment resources. You can learn more about training opportunities, local health organizations and places to find fentanyl-countering Narcan by looking down below.

• Naloxone/Narcan access.
  • Be Able at 431 South Fifth Street.
  • Tobacco Alley at 1815 Fort Riley Boulevard.
  • Riley County Health Department/Family and Child Resource Center at 2101 Claflin Road.
• Naloxone training.
  • The Riley County Health Department offers free training sessions on how to use Naloxone/Narcan. Contact Jennifer Ebert at jebert@rileycountyks.gov or call 785-776-4779 for more information.
• Substance Misuse Task Force.
  • If you are interested in joining this task force you can contact Shanika Rose at srose@rileycountyks.gov or call 785-776-4779.
• Flint Hills Wellness Coalition.
  • Learn more about its Mental Health workgroup by contacting Shanika Rose at srose@rileycountyks.gov or calling 785-776-4779. You can reach out to the Flint Hills Wellness Coalition by contacting Debbie Nuss at debnuss@gmail.com or by calling 785-341-1143.
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
  • Call 988 for urgent help that is available 24/7. Learn more about the lifeline by clicking here.
• Pawnee Mental Health Crisis Stabilization Unit.
  • In operation 24/7 year-round. You can contact the unit by calling 800-609-2002 or 785-587-4302 for the non-emergency line. You can visit the unit in person at 1558 Hayes Drive, Suita A in Manhattan.
• MHKMentalHealth.org.
  • Contains a database of local provides and their current availability. You can text a crisis counselor through the Crisis Text Line by texting “MHA” to 741741.
• Child-Help USA crisis line.
  • Helps both child and adult survivors of abuse. The hotline is staffed by mental health professionals and can be reached by calling 1-800-422-4453.

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