photo by: Bremen Keasey/Journal-World

Megan Bridges, the director of crisis services at HeadQuarters Kansas, left, and Tammy Winterringer, a peer support specialist with Alive, Inc., unveil a sign featuring information about the 988 crisis lifeline at Wells Overlook Park on Thursday, April 30, 2026.

Dozens of law enforcement, Douglas County officials and mental health care providers celebrated Thursday a simple and tangible intervention that aims to prevent suicides in area parks.

That simple intervention was the unveiling of a sign at Wells Overlook Park, 1373 North 1000 Road, that featured information about how to contact the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline, which provides quick and easy access to trained mental health crisis counselors 24/7. The sign also had a simple reminder for the people in crisis: “You matter.”

George Diepenbrock, the public information officer for the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, said the sign — unveiled by the viewing platform at the park — is one of several that have been placed around parks across Douglas County in the last month. He said county staff have placed similar signs at Clinton Lake State Park near both sides of the dams and at the Baker Wetlands.

Diepenbrock said in recent years, first responders have responded to more crisis calls in remote areas like parks, which is “very stressful for everybody.” According to reviews by county officials, the percentage of suicides occurring in or around parks and waterways rose from from 4.3% of total suicides in 2023 to over 20% in both 2024 and 2025, as the Journal-World reported. County data also showed emergency responders were dispatched to at least 40 area parks for crisis calls, and Diepenbrock said adding information about a crisis helpline “makes sure people get linked to resources” in a timely fashion.

The effort to put up the signs came thanks to the Suicide Fatality Review Board, which launched in December 2025 to evaluate individual suicide deaths in order to improve prevention, response and service systems at the local level.

Sarah Landry, the zero suicide program coordinator with the Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health department, said she was thankful for the collaboration between law enforcement and the county officials in the work to prevent suicide, which is a public health issue that “requires a community wide response.”

“We are building a community and system of care designed to save lives,” Landry said. “This sign is one visible piece of that effort.”

County Commissioner Shannon Reid said she was proud the county government could play a part of the efforts of suicide prevention. Reid said suicide was a “personal issue” for her. She shared that her mother had attempted suicide when Reid was a child, and she had seen first responders come to her mother’s aid and help her recover. With the data showing that people visit parks and natural spaces at low points, she said this is a key intervention being deployed in the community and a clear sign of intent in the work of suicide prevention.

“I hope this is meaningful to see these tangible actions (put in place),” Reid said.

photo by: Bremen Keasey/Journal-World

Douglas County Commission Shannon Reid speaking at the unveiling of the 988 suicide crisis lifeline sign at Wells Overlook Park on April 30, 2026.

photo by: Bremen Keasey/Journal-World

A sign, shown on April, 30, 2026, featuring information about the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline was recently put up at Wells Overlook Park in Lawrence thanks to a Douglas County initiative.