Community Health Initiative To Start Offering ‘Stop The Bleed’ Training

     Decatur Memorial Hospital and HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital in partnership with United Way of Decatur and Mid-Illinois and Heritage Behavioral Health Center will empower community members to save lives through Stop the Bleed training slated to begin in July.
     “In our last Community Health Needs Assessment for Macon County in 2021, the effects of gun violence and subsequent loss of life were shown to have a significant negative impact on the mental health of community members,” said Sonja Chargois, Community Health and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion coordinator at Decatur Memorial Hospital. “Unfortunately Decatur has seen a growing number of gun violence victims under the age of 20 in the past several years. It is our hope that Stop the Bleed training will help bystanders know how to stop life-threatening bleeding not only in the case of gun violence, but also in everyday emergencies.”
     Additional partners in this include: Northeast Community Fund, Northeast Community Fund, Main Street Church of God – Youth with a Positive Direction, Homework Hangout, Shemilah’s Outreach Center, Good Samaritan Inn, The Salvation Army, Old Kings Orchard, Boys & Girls Club of Decatur, Millikin University, SkyWalker International Sports Complex, J Morris Enterprises and Decatur Public School District 61.
     For more information, contact Sonja Chargois, DMH : 217-876-2117 or by email Chargois.Sonja@mhsil .com.