I've never cut them back. The only thing I do is deadhead the plant.

Some of the stems splayed out a bit today after the torrential rain I had this past weekend, but I'm surprised the entire plant didn't lay down after the beating it took.

Ditto your first comment, Judyhi

Am very fond of Helenium

I also never cut them back for lower blooms.
Some of the smaller ones certainly don't need it,
but I like height in August and September.

I do, however, stake all the taller and medium sized ones including Mardi Gras. They don't need real attention to staking as plants like peonies may.

Below a patch which just has a stake or two and twine around it.

You may know that without replanting and upgrading the soil, ever few years, Helenium (at least in my experience), gets shorter and peters out over a couple of years.