Valley Cities Behavioral Health staff hosted a suicide awareness and prevention conversation with a Federal Way police officer to discuss the issue with community members on Sept. 17 at their quarterly coffee chat.

The Valley Cities speakers included Jessica Rosado, manager of the daytime crisis team, and Teri Hardy, director of Recovery Place Kent. Officer Sarah Montjoy represented the Federal Way Police Department.

One important resource is the free and confidential 24/7 lifeline 988, which can be accessed through calling, texting or chatting.

All three speakers said their number one piece of advice to reduce suicide is to talk about it.

“If you talk about it, you’re not going to cause it,” said Hardy, when asked about the biggest myths she wants to bust around suicide.

Hardy said t

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