Your life Matters. Part 8: Reflecting on local resources
By Garrett Christensen on Friday, September 27th, 2024 in Northeastern Oregon News Northeastern Oregon Top Stories
NORTHEAST OREGON — Welcome to Your Life Matters, a special project from the Elkhorn Media Group where we embark on a journey of compassion, understanding, and hope. in this space, we aim to shed light on a topic that often lingers in the shadows: suicide awareness. Here, we believe in the power of conversation to break down the stigma surrounding mental health and create a supportive community for those who need it most.
Each month, we’ll share personal stories of resilience, expert insights, and practical strategies to navigate the complexities of mental health. Our goal is to foster empathy, dispel myths, and provide a beacon of hope for those who may be struggling.
With National Suicide Prevention Month coming to an end, Elkhorn Media Group is looking back on the experts we’ve spoken with, and resources we’ve collated, since launching Your Life Matters in January of this year. For those who may be struggling with mental health, or know somebody who might be, this is an opportunity to hear directly from a variety of local experts on the intricacies of mental health and learn what resources are available in Eastern Oregon and beyond. Your Life Matters interviews are as follows (Links to appropriate resources are included near the bottom of each article):
- Part 1. Your Life Matters: A journey of compassion, understanding, and hope. A look at Suicide Prevention Awareness and Mental Health.
- In this first part, we spoke with La Grande Police Chief Gary Bell and Lieutenant Jason Hays on the number of mental health cases received by the regional dispatch center and how local law enforcement handle mental health calls.
- Part 2. Your Life Matters: A journey of compassion, understanding, and hope. A look at Suicide Prevention Awareness and Mental Health.
- In this second interview segment, we continued our conversation with Gary Bell and Jason Hays. This portion focused on the impact mental health cases have on local EMS responders and what mental health resources the community have available.
- Part 3. Your Life Matters: A Look at Suicide Prevention Awareness and Mental Health
- We spoke with Haley Hueckman, A Prevention Supervisor from New Directions Northwest in Baker City, on “Question, Persuade and Refer,” or QPR. This is a form of specialized training meant to help prevent suicide.
- Part 4. Your Life Matters: A Look at Suicide Prevention Awareness and Mental Health: Older Adults in Oregon
- In our first interview looking beyond strictly local resources, we spoke with Kai Nichols, Older Adult Behavioral Health Coordinator with Greater Oregon Behavioral Health, Inc. This discussion specifically focused on the unique mental health challenges of older adults in Oregon and what resources they have.
- In our first interview looking beyond strictly local resources, we spoke with Kai Nichols, Older Adult Behavioral Health Coordinator with Greater Oregon Behavioral Health, Inc. This discussion specifically focused on the unique mental health challenges of older adults in Oregon and what resources they have.
- Part 5. Your Life Matters: A Look at Suicide Prevention Awareness for Veterans
- In this interview, we spoke with Shannon White, Executive Director of the Pacific Northwest Veterans Alliance. Discussion focused on suicide awareness and prevention for local veterans and what resources they and their families have available.
- Part 6. Your Life Matters: Youth Mental Health Challenges and Local Resources
- Looking local again, we spoke with Daisy Duren and Chris Evans with the Center for Human development, Head of Clinical Operations and Director of Community Relations and Marketing respectively. This interview focused on the mental health challenges of youth in Union County and resources being provided by CHD.
- Part 7. Your Life Matters: Youth suicide awareness and prevention.
- In our final unique interview so far, we spoke with Jill Baker, Youth Suicide Prevention Planner with the Oregon Health Authority, along with Vanessa Hagget and Tori Andrews, principal and school counselor for Eagle Cap Innovative High School respectively. We again focused on youth mental health along with data concerning youth suicide trends in Oregon.
Join us next month when we return to regular interviews with local mental health experts and emergency responders.
Remember, you are not alone, reach out for help by calling the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988. The 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States. Local resources also include New Directions Northwest in Baker County- 541-519-7126, and Center for Human Development in Union County – 541-962-8800, option 6.
