New suicide prevention center opens doors in Century City

CENTURY CITY, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A new, state-of-the-art suicide prevention center opened its doors this week in Century City.

Melissa Rivers and Ronda Rousey, whose fathers took their own lives, were on hand for the opening of the Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services.

The more than 14,000 square-foot facility nearly doubles the number of people answering the group's 24/7 English-Spanish crisis line.

MORE: Suicide prevention information - Get help here

The center will add in-person therapy for individuals and families, support groups for teens bereaved by a loss and certified training for mental health professionals, along with services it already provides.

Rousey also lost her grandfather to suicide.

"Suicide is very unique for the stigma that surrounds it, and I really do believe it, it takes just as much strength, if not more, to reach out than to tough it out," she said.

As part of the opening, artwork that was created by artist Ed Massey and painted by more than 60 survivors of suicide loss or attempts was unveiled.

In 2017, more than 47,000 Americans died by suicide - more than those who died by car accidents or homicide, the center said on its website.

To learn more about service available at the center, visit www.didihirsch.org/.