Program Focuses On Mental Health Awareness

On Thursday evening, May 26, the Elevate Program hosted guest speaker Rhianna Brand, a suicide attempt survivor, to discuss and educate the community on mental health issues with the goal of elevating and enhancing knowledge, concerns and resources to combat suicide.

The event started with Pastor Chad Rademacher of Holy Trinity Church in Sidney, and he gave a brief explanation of the program, and his involvement since the COVID-19 pandemic started in 2020 and the increased amount of isolation and anxiety caused by the virus. He stressed the community's need to overcome barriers and stigma to foster awareness and conversations about mental health issues that can lead to suicide unless addressed proactively.

Cheyenne County Sheriff Adam Frerichs next addressed the approximately two dozen attendees, and went into detail about how law enforcement handles suicide attempts, and the process of getting people in distress the help they need.

“The goal is to get the individual to Sidney Regional Medical Center,” said Frerichs. He then detailed the techniques used to connect distressed individuals with Behavioral Health Unit in Scottsbluff for proper treatment. He detailed the differences between voluntary and involuntary cases, and the process each follows. He stressed when a person is in a situation where a friend or loved one is in distress, to reach out and call 911 to get help from law enforcement. He also noted that any emergency services agency can be contacted to help with a distressed person.

He also explained the difference between an Emergency Protection Order and voluntarily accepting treatment.

“The same thing happens. The only difference is it was decided you have to go,” he said.

He added Emergency Protection orders are not written for children under 18 years of age; parents can make that decision.

Frerichs stressed the importance of family and friends being able to talk with law enforcement and emergency assistance personnel to get as much information about the person in distress as possible, to ensure the correct and safest course of action. “Not knowing what's on the other side of that door,” is the biggest challenge law enforcement and emergency personnel face when dealing with a suicide attempt. He also noted the trend over the last few years is suicide attempts with pills and alcohol.

He called most of these incidents “Cries for Help” as the vast majority of the attempts involve not nearly enough pills and alcohol to be deadly to the person in distress.

He ended his presentation by saying, “The most important thing to know is that there is help available, and we need people to be aware and talking about these issues and get the community involved.”

The featured speaker, Rhianna Brand, next addressed the crowd and told her story of growing up in the rural community of Burns, Wyo., and the abuse and isolation she experienced that led to her mental health struggles. She detailed how having an alcoholic mother and a Vietnam veteran father suffering from PTSD contributed to her own struggles growing up. She also detailed how stress and anxiety effected parts of the brain and leads to mental health issues such as Bipolar Disorder and Complex PTSD.

All of the speakers stressed the importance of building strong relationships, staying close to those you love. Talk to them, know their interests and dislikes, what is typical and what is not. Be willing to listen and not just hear from a friend or family member.

The next Elevate community discussion is planned for August. Topic of the next meeting has yet to be decided.