SALISBURY — Suicide is a serious public health problem that can have long-lasting effects on individuals, families and communities.

The Into The Light Suicide & Mental Health Awareness Walk is an annual walking event that brings attention to this growing suicide problem. It is sponsored by Rowan County United Way, and it will take place on Saturday, Oct. 14, at Catawba College’s Shuford Stadium at 7:20 a.m.

Funds raised will benefit local, accessible mental health treatment and services such as One Love Community Programs, a local mental health and substance use clinic.

One Love provides critical services to clients ages four and up. In January, it added a new service for youth called “Intensive In-Home.”

That program is a home-based mental health service designed to meet the needs of the child and family through crisis management, intensive case management, counseling and family therapy. The primary goal is to prevent out-of-home placement. It requires complete family involvement and a commitment to the length of the service. Currently, One Love is receiving referrals from many agencies, including schools, juvenile court counselors and others.

One Love provides services for those with or without insurance. Mental health treatment is expensive but very important. It does not allow an inability to pay to keep us from serving a client. Rowan County United Way provides funding to make this possible.

Shuford Stadium is located at 2295 Yost St. in Salisbury.