WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — When encountering someone experiencing a mental health crisis, many people instinctively call 911. However, mental health experts argue that a different approach may lead to better outcomes. They are now promoting the use of a crisis card, a tool designed to help individuals in mental health distress get the appropriate help more swiftly.
Eric Litwiller, a representative from Mental Health America of South Central Kansas, explained the rationale behind the crisis card. “We’ve all seen on the news situations where people call 911 when no one is breaking the law,” Litwiller said. “911 is ultimately a law enforcement number, and when you’re having a mental health crisis, you’re not breaking the law.”
The crisis card is designed to be carried by individuals who may experience a mental health crisis. It contains key information to guide responders in providing the right support. “Anyone who lives with a mental health issue that might manifest as a crisis at some point should take one of these cards, fill it out, and keep it on their person at all times,” Litwiller urged.
The card features local health contact information on one side. The other side reads: “If I have given you this card, I need your help.” It includes spaces for the individual’s name, their mental health condition, and emergency contact details for their primary health provider, spouse, or a trusted friend.
Mental Health America is working to distribute the cards widely throughout the area. They can be found at local libraries, coffee shops, car dealerships, and other community locations. The goal is to make the cards easily accessible to anyone who might benefit from them.
Litwiller emphasized the importance of understanding how to respond if someone hands you a crisis card. “Someday, someone, some random person on the street, is going to walk up to you and hand their card to you,” he said. “I need for everybody in Wichita to know what to do in that eventuality. You should be able to flip this card over and say, ‘Oh, this is Bob. Bob is having a panic attack. Here’s how I get ahold of his doctor, and here’s how I get ahold of his wife.’”
Litwiller believes that using crisis cards is a more sustainable method of addressing mental health emergencies compared to calling law enforcement. “This is about creating a more informed community response,” he added.
For those interested in obtaining a crisis card for themselves or a loved one, they can contact Mental Health America of South Central Kansas at 316-651-1241. Litwiller also encourages businesses to display the cards for easy access. “If people let me know of a business they visit regularly, I’m happy to call that business to see if they would display the cards,” he said. “I also bring them to my speaking engagements at churches and corporate events.”
In the case of an immediate mental health crisis, individuals can call the 988 helpline, which serves not only as a suicide prevention hotline but also as a resource for any mental health emergency.
Litwiller hopes the crisis card will help foster a compassionate and informed response to mental health crises, benefiting both individuals in need and the broader community.
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