The HOPE Squad of Carbon, Emery, and Grand Counties, along with American Foundation for Suicide Prevention will be hosting a walk to prevent suicide on Saturday, September 16 at 10:00 am at the Price City Peace Garden. Castle Country Radio was able to sit down with Suicide Prevention Specialist, Amanda McIntosh to discuss all the details.
The HOPE Squad partnered with the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention two years ago and they are so grateful to have them assist with this annual community walk. “You know Carbon, Emery and Grand Counties we’re still pretty high up in the state as far as our suicide rates per capita. Through the state funding we don’t receive a whole lot to put forth any prevention or awareness efforts. So when we partnered with the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention we started seeing that funding coming back in to our area and when we partnered with them to put on our annual HOPE Walk is when we really started seeing donations coming in through fundraisers and what not. It’s helped our program get stronger and be able to push messaging out even further in to the communities,” said McIntosh. Working with the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention will open many doors and resources for the community.
The walk will take place on Saturday, September 16 at 10:00 am and everyone in the community are invited to come participate. “This year we’re doing it a little bit different and that we’re pushing out pre-registration to be a part of the walk. You don’t have to register but we do recommend that you register and anyone that comes the day of can still register. As of right now, we have 71 participants that have already pre-registered and 11 teams, so that is really hopeful for our area. In looking at the roster of the walkers that are coming, there’s names on there I don’t recognize so I’m hoping to welcoming them in to the fold of suicide prevention and awareness for the lost survivors that they’re representing and what not,” said McIntosh. The walk is not a strenuous walk it’s a short symbolic walk around the block and then walkers will return to the Price City Peace Gardens for some speakers and activities.
These types of events that the HOPE Squad of Carbon, Emery, and Grand Counties hosts is a great way to open the lines of communication about a tough topic. “You know that more we talk about our mental health the less stigmatized it is and the more likely it is that somebody is going to have that self-help seeking behavior and to have the resources that we do have in our small rural area, its so beneficial. Having events like this it is my favorite event, I love it so much and I look forward to it every year. Each year try to cultivate it and create an environment that is safe for our survivors and for our community that our coming into suicide prevention and awareness and just leave the stage open for that conversation to happen,” said McIntosh.
To learn more about the HOPE Squad of Carbon, Emery and Grand Counties or to get in contact with Amanda McIntosh please visit the Southeast Utah Health Department website at https://www.seuhealth.com/