The HOPE Squad of Carbon, Emery & Grand Counties is an important organization within our community that brings awareness to suicide prevention and mental health. Castle Country Radio took some time to sit down with Suicide Prevention Specialist, Amanda McIntosh to discuss what the HOPE Squad is up to these days.

“We were able to purchase 250 long-barreled gun socks that are heather grey and they are over at TC West getting printed on right now, and on the sock its going to have the HOPE Squad logo, as well as the Southeast Utah Health Department logo, but it’s also going to have that National Suicide Hotline or Lifeline number in big bold print,” said McIntosh. Those individuals who wish to obtain a gun sock are encouraged to contact the Health Department.

In conjunction with May’s Mental Health Awareness month, a business reached out to the HOPE Squad requesting that they be allowed to host a fundraising event for them. “Russell Cellular reached out to HOPE Squad of Carbon, Emery & Grand Counties and asked if they could do a fundraiser for us and we leaped at the opportunity. You know the coalition is not for profit and over the course of the month of May they were able to sell enough of the pop-sockets to donate right back to the HOPE Squad in the amount of $400.00,” stated McIntosh. The money will be used towards future community events that the HOPE Squad of Carbon, Emery & Grand Counties’ hosts.

The HOPE Squad recently started a new campaign called #RealConvo which is about individuals willing to start a real conversation about mental health. The campaign recently showed 11 officers from the Carbon County Sheriff Office that are willing to start that conversation.  “What I really wanted to focus on was bringing light to the people in our communities, all three communities, Emery, Carbon and Grand Counties that are willing to step up and reach out to their community and have a real conversation about mental health. The Carbon County Sheriff’s Office which was shared almost 100 times and it’s been viewed by over 9,000 people and in the grand skim of things when you think about it 9,000 people know that those 11 men and women on either advertisement are willing to step up, speak up and reach out and help our community,” explained McIntosh. The first advertisement ran with pictures of several representatives from Four Corners Community Behavioral Health and Positive Pathways.

To learn more about the HOPE Squad of Carbon, Emery & Grand Counties visit their Facebook page.