Suicide prevention mural unveiled in Lorain

LORAIN — A brightly colored mural along Broadway plans to provide a message of hope to passersby. The Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services Board of Lorain County unveiled a suicide prevention mural on the side of the MAD* Factory Theatre, 2655 Broadway, on Saturday afternoon. The piece, designed by the Cleveland Mural Co., boasts the new 9-8-8 national mental health crisis line number, alongside the crisis text line: 4Hope to 741-741. Information is in English and Spanish. MHARS Youth Program Officer and Lorain County Suicide Prevention Coalition member Lauren Cieslak said more than 25 volunteers from community organizations including kids from El Centro's 231GO! program and the MAD* Factory painted the mural. "This will be up forever for people passing by to see it and we noticed the day we started painting it … every single person that walks by had some type of struggle with mental health or (said) 'I've been affected by suicide, thank you so much for doing this,'" she said. "I think it's a really important thing to have it in a place where people are actually live and walk and work instead of a billboard." The project was born out of a family's loss, said Rebecca Jones, MHARS director of child and adolescent services and chair of the Suicide Prevention Coalition. A family donated to the MHARS Board after their son's death by suicide, and the idea of a public art installation to raise awareness was born. The goal is to raise awareness, reduce stigma and get the new 9-8-8 mental health crisis line number out into the community. The hotline will connect to a national switchboard, which will funnel calls to the local crisis line run by the Nord Center. Mayor Jack Bradley commended the MHARS Board and other volunteers for their work on the mural. "We all know that because of COVID, suicides and depression have gone up, and murals like this help us all to remember that we have to get out, be involved with activities and encourage others not to be depressed," he said. "There are things worth living for and all of us if we work together can support each other in making not only lives better but the city of Lorain better." Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.