23-04-2025
Officials throughout Cass County work to prevent suicide, plan Stomp out the Stigma walk
Roughly two dozen people found free seats in a Cass County Sheriff's Department meeting room.
Speaking amongst themselves, conversations tended toward things like gardening or mushroom hunting season — the sorts of things you could imagine colleagues of any career speaking about on any given early spring afternoon.
Subtly, their tone shifted as it came time to address the reason they were there. Across Indiana, more than 20 counties have assembled Suicide and Overdose Fatality Review teams since 2018.
Once a month, Cass County's team reviews local case studies in an effort to reduce overdoses and suicides. Representatives from county schools, local law enforcement, the health department, hospital and 4-County Health make up just a portion of the dozens of people who pitch in.
The April case study was focused on a local drug-related death.
Starting with the deceased's obituary and a quick review of their demographics, the team got to work discussing what could have been done to prevent the death. In the April case study, the deceased had been accessing mental health resources, such as counseling, and was trying to overcome addiction.
Several people in the room knew them and remembered them fondly. They held a moment of silence and shared happy memories.
The group also discussed short- and long-term goals to enhance preventative, interventional and postventional initiatives.
They looked at different ways they could make it easier for people to find mental health resources. They also discussed how different crisis teams are able to respond to calls. In terms of postvention, they began coordinating who could check in with survivors or help them find community resources.
As the meeting came to a close, they set their sights on an upcoming event aimed at bolstering access to local mental health resources — the Cass County Zero Suicide Task Force's Awareness Walk.
Zero Suicide Task Force
Many, if not all, of the members in the Zero Suicide Task Force have been personally affected by the suicide of a spouse, child or a friend.
For Cass County Coroner George Franklin, it's also a part of his job. The Coroner's office is called in to rule on whether suicide is the cause of deaths.
There were 10 suicides in Cass County last year, marking a 60% increase from 2023. By mid-April this year, Franklin said, there had been four.
Founded in the mid-2010s, the Cass County Zero Suicide Task Force is similar to the Suicide and Overdose Fatality Review team. The main difference is that the task force focuses less on overdoses.
'We are humbled by how the community has supported our cause and for suicide prevention over the past years,' President of the task force Rhonda Murray said. 'I think we are finally being known and making a difference.'
'We kind of all look to each other as humans, you know? And when someone gives up on life, it really kind of shakes the core of so many people,' Deputy Coroner Tressie Hansen said in a February interview. 'It's not just the immediate family, it's not just their work family, it's people that knew them 20 years ago, people they went to school with.'
Coming together as a community and forming connections helps people deal with a suicide, she added. It also helps prevent future occurrences.
Franklin pointed out a broad range of people have committed suicide since he became coroner roughly nine years ago. Age, education and social status don't seem to play a role.
'Suicide doesn't descriminate,' he said.
Members of the task force encouraged people to reach out to their friends and ask whether they ever feel like harming themselves.
'That can start a conversation that can really help someone,' Hansen said. 'Sometimes those conversations can really open up a door of just showing someone that someone else cares and there's people willing to help.'
If you're ever concerned about someone, she added, you're able to call Cass County Dispatch for a wellness check.
'That just gets somebody out to their location to make sure that they're OK and that somebody's with them,' Hansen said.
People experiencing a crisis can also call 988. The crisis doesn't have to be self-harm related.
Suicide awareness walk
The Cass County Zero Suicide Task Force's Awareness Walk will be held 10 a.m. to noon May 3 at the Logansport State Hospital. Registration for the walk begins at 8:30 a.m.
Funds collected during the walk go toward a scholarship for college-bound community members who want to pursue a career in mental health services. The organization has also started a caring hearts fund, which will help survivors without insurance cover funeral expenses.
Rhonda Murray, president of the task force, explained the walk will also feature a suicidologist, lots of resources and a silent auction. There will also be food trucks and a bounce house for children.
For more information about the event, task force or mental health resources, visit
County Commissioner Michael Stajduhar, who is on the Suicide and Overdose Fatality Review team, gave recognition to the Zero Suicide Task Force's event.
Just before Monday's Commissioners meeting came to a close, he designated May 3 as Stomp Out the Stigma Day.
'Suicide prevention is everyone's business,' Stajduhar said. He later added, 'I was there last year and it's a really good event. I encourage all of you to attend this. It's a very important subject.'
