September is National Suicide Prevention Month. In an effort to begin shedding the spotlight on such important topics such as suicide awareness and prevention, erasing stigmas, addiction, intergenerational poverty and more, the Carbon County Chamber of Commerce (CCCC) invited local experts, survivors, community members and the like for a panel.
This Community Health Checkup featured Julie Rosier of Circles, Mersades Morgan of USARA, Amanda McIntosh from the Southeast Utah Health Department, HOPE Squad and more, CJ McManus from AJB Broadcasting and other important voices of the community.
McIntosh had been invited to speak for the health department and HOPE Squad for the month’s community spotlight, but elected to save her speaking time for during the panel.
Taren Powell, CCCC President, stated that the goal of the panel was to highlight how the community can help support them and the demographics they serve, as well as explaining what is available right here in the area.
It was stated that sometimes, the ideas of these programs are misguided. All were encouraged to reach out when struggling, as these programs are available to help.
Everyone was also cautioned to be mindful of the way people in poverty and substance use situations are spoken of and to. A stigma cannot end when it is talked about in a discouraging manor.
McManus stated that if everyone can be mindful of the way that they speak and think about people, it could help greatly. Hidden disabilities, which have such a wide variety, were also discussed. Employers were encouraged to open positions that could specifically help individuals that have disabilities, as sometimes they do not fit the norm of what each position offers.
Tips continued, such as using person-first language and recognizing that people are people first, before anything else. There are people recovering every day and it is not always visible. Although the community is a small one, there are a lot of resources and it is important to be educated on what those resources are.
The Four Corners Community Behavioral Health Crisis Receiving Center is one such resource. It is a new program that opened July 15 and has helped 21 unique individuals in the span of a month.
From there, the floor was opened for questions. They came in the form of discussing being a Recovery Positive Workplace and more. The conclusion was encouraging all the make a change together as a community to come together and support the myriad of programs available.
