Over the weekend, a Craighead County sheriff’s deputy helped save the life of a man with a self-inflicted knife wound on his arm, authorities said.
The deputy, Aaron Chadwick, was reportedly the first on the scene when he was dispatched to it around 8 a.m. Saturday. He said he was able to get the knife away from the wounded man, who was in his 50s, then tend to the man's medical needs.
Chadwick said the man, whose name was not disclosed by authorities, has “recovered fine” and “everybody struggles with depression.”
“If anybody is struggling with that before they try to take measures into their own hands, there’s help out there, and that’s what the sheriff’s office is here to do,” the deputy said.
Deputies are reportedly taking training classes in how to respond to incidents like this. Chadwick said the proper response includes speaking in a calculated and calm way.
“Once they get through the situation, we try to get them advanced help, more than what we can give them. We’re not advanced experts in that,” he said.
Chadwick said that advanced help could come in the form of the Craighead County Regional Crisis Stabilization Unit, which aims to help those who do not have an acute medical issue and are not actively suicidal or homicidal.
Authorities also recommend places like St. Bernards Behavioral Health, which provides treatment to those who have mental, behavioral, or psychiatric health disorders that can often be severe.
Mitchell Nail, media relations manager for St. Bernards Healthcare, commended the sheriff’s office for its efforts. “I think we have some of the finest law enforcement in the state of Arkansas, and they have gone through quite a bit of training. We’ve got a lot of outreach. so they know what services they have available to them and where to take individuals,” he said.
“Mental health is a major component of someone's overall health. If a local law enforcement agency hasn’t undergone training, I would encourage them to do so to get them the proper help they need,” Nail said.
He also said St. Bernard’s health care professionals work to make sure individuals arriving with wounds are stabilized both physically and mentally so that they don’t harm themselves or anyone else. Then they conduct mental evaluations to determine what level of care each individual may need and what steps need to be taken to rehabilitate that person, he said.
In addition, St. Bernards Behavioral Health offers behavioral health screenings, space in an in-patient unit, informational call center service, psychiatric care, and more, Nail said.