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Ohio Coalition for Healthy Communities

Welcome

You are always welcome to call me at 522-1341, or send an email to paddykutz@alink.com.

Welcome to MHALC and let us know how we can be helpful to you!


Paddy Kutz -

Executive Director

Your Good Mental Health

 

World Suicide Prevention Day: September 10, 2010

by Paddy Kutz, Executive Director, Mental Health America of Licking County

In the United States alone, a person dies by suicide every 16 minutes. Friday, September 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day, and you can make a difference. Suicide is preventable. By taking 5 minutes to get involved and become informed, you will be part of a national movement to save lives. It is the Take 5 to Save Lives initiated by the National Council for Suicide Prevention and supported by the Licking County Suicide Prevention Coalition.

From January 1 to August 20, just 8 months into 2010, we have had 13 completed suicides in Licking County. Last year there were 28. Please take a few minutes to learn the warning signs of suicide. Call 911 or seek immediate help from a mental health provider when you hear, or see, any of these behaviors:

  • Someone threatening to hurt of kill him/herself, or talking of wanting to hurt or kill him/herself. Statements you may hear: “I can’t go on”, I wish I could go to sleep and not wake up”, “You would be better off without me”, “I can’t stand the pain anymore”, or some other similar message.
  • Someone looking for ways to kill him/herself by seeking access to firearms, pills or other means
  • Someone talking or writing about death, dying or suicide, when these actions are out of the ordinary for the person

Seek help by contacting a mental health professional, Mental Health America at 740-522-1441 or calling 211 for a referral should you witness, hear, or see anyone exhibiting any one or more of these behaviors:

  • Hopelessness
  • Rage, uncontrolled anger, seeking revenge
  • Acting reckless or engaging in risky activities, seemingly without thinking
  • Feeling trapped – like there is no way out
  • Increased alcohol or drug use
  • Withdrawing from friends, family, society
  • Anxiety, agitation, unable to sleep or sleeping all the time
  • Dramatic mood changes

Mental Health America of Licking County provides suicide prevention programs to students in their classrooms and to anyone else in the community who would like to learn more about helping with this cause. Please call me, Paddy Kutz, at 740-788-0302 or email at paddykutz@alink.com to schedule a training. We also offer free brochures and a support group at our office, (rear) 65 Messimer Drive in Newark for Survivors After Suicide that meets the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7 pm. No reservations are necessary.

Our county will raise awareness with a Candlelight Vigil at the Gazebo on the Square in downtown Newark on Thursday, November 17 at 6pm. Everyone is welcome.

Mental Health America of Licking County is an affiliate of Mental Health America, United Way and Community Mental Health & Recovery Board.

News Articles

Press Release

MHA Presents Lunch & Learn in Pataskala

New Regulations Give Patients Right To Appeal Health Plan Decisions; New Grants Program Strengthens State and Territory Consumer Assistance Programs: The Obama Administration has announced both new regulations to empower consumers to appeal decisions made by their health plans or insurance companies and the availability of resources that will be used to help give consumers more control of their health care decisions. These provisions of the Affordable Care Act will help support and protect consumers and help end some of the worst insurance company abuses. The new appeals regulations were issued by the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and the Treasury. Consumers in new health plans in every State will have the right to appeal decisions, including claims denials and rescissions, made by their health plans. This includes the right to appeal decisions made by a health plan through the plan’s internal process and, for the first time, the right to appeal decisions made by a health plan to an outside, independent decision-maker, no matter what state a patient lives in or what type of health coverage they have. In addition, grant applications from the $30 million Consumer Assistance Program are now available to help States and Territories establish consumer assistance offices or strengthen existing ones. The new funds will be used to provide consumers with the information they need to pick from a range of coverage options that best meets their needs, appeal decisions by plans to deny coverage of needed services, and to select an available primary care provider of their choosing. For more information about the new appeals regulation or Consumer Assistance Grants program, go here.

REVISED Press Release

YES Receives Grant from ODE

Press Release

Compeer Receives SAMHSA Grant
The Gardens at Saint Elizabeths: A National Memorial of Recovered Dignity

The Gardens at Saint Elizabeths is a national memorial to remember once forgotten psychiatric patients. In addition to remembrance, it will also be a place of recovery offering dignity and hope to anyone living with mental illness.

(Audio) WHTH "Healthwise" radio interview with Paddy Kutz on "MHA Update" courtesy of WHTH/KOOL 101.7.  (This is a large MP3 audio file and so it might take a while to download.)
MHA Compeer Coordinator, Kristen Frame recently gave a speech to the Newark Kiwanis Club.  Click on the picture at right for their coverage of her remarks.