Mental Health Awareness Month
A one-size-fits-all approach to mental health does not work, especially in communities that have historically been left out of the conversation entirely. For BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month, we are highlighting something we believe deeply: training matters, and who delivers that training, how it’s shaped, and whether it reflects the...
During National BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re recognizing the unique strengths, challenges, and barriers that shape mental health in communities across Oregon.
During National BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month, we're recognizing the unique strengths, challenges, and barriers that shape mental health in communities across Oregon. In many Spanish-speaking and Latine households, mental health struggles are real but often go unnamed. For immigrant families, that weight is compounded. Financial strain and...
May reminded us that mental health support must reach every community. Mental Health Awareness Month and Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month gave us dedicated space to explore what mental health support looks like when it reaches everyone. As this month comes to an end, the work continues: advocating for mental...
Construction workers face dangers every day on the job site, but the most significant threat they encounter isn’t from heavy machinery or hazardous materials. Tragically, construction workers are six times more likely to die by suicide than from any workplace accident. This sobering reality has prompted Lines for Life to launch a new resource specifically designed for Oregon’s construction community.
Portland, Oregon. Eight of the nation’s leading general contractors have unveiled a groundbreaking initiative to improve mental health and reduce suicide rates in the construction industry. These companies—together representing over $75 billion in annual revenue—have built communities, neighborhoods, and iconic skylines across the Western United States.
Sometimes we find ourselves needing support, but the people we would normally reach out to aren’t available.
Everyone needs support sometimes. But reaching out can be difficult. At some point, you may have talked yourself out of sharing a challenging experience.
Staying connected is a critical component of enjoying a mentally healthy life! When we feel down, experience anxiety or grief, or have a mental health emergency, staying connected to others can get us through. Staying connected is a two-way street – you can reach out to GIVE OR GET support.
My first career was in the restaurant industry, managing restaurants and eventually managing theaters and event venues for a large chain of Oregon brewpubs. I had to leave because I drank too much, and I was like a kid in a candy store. Eventually, I became interested in the substance use recovery field and worked as an addiction counselor and...
This Mental Health Awareness Month, we highlight opportunities to Start the Conversation among service members, veterans, and their families (SMVF). A “power through it” mentality is strong in military culture – both for physical and emotional concerns. Stigma around needing help is a barrier for many when they are having a mental health concern....
“The program is a voice in creating safe spaces for difficult conversations. We make the spaces welcoming, inclusive, and keep them trauma-informed so people can come for that necessary support.” - Stacey, Bilingual/Bicultural Group Facilitator The Oregon Helpers Wellness Initiative is changing the game in how they Start the Conversation around...
I’ve always been passionate about supporting people when they might feel stigmatized or isolated. When I was growing up, my family struggled with poverty. Some of them turned to substances to cope and, even though they were around, I felt alone. The first funeral I ever went to was for a coworker who died by suicide, when I was 16. He was...
Inside the 2023 AAS Conference: A Visit at Lines for Life’s Office The American Association of Suicidology (AAS) - the accrediting agency for 988 - kicked off their annual conference for 2023 at the Lines for Life headquarters on Wednesday, April 19! The AAS Conference is the largest gathering of behavioral health organizations, clinicians,...
My mama is not a clear vision in my mind. I can almost hear her voice when I read old cards and letters. But so much of my pacific Island mama was woven into the larger fabric of her family, a vision of my Tata and Nana, my Aunties and Uncles and cousins that I don't always see my mama clearly. Instead I see our forever growing island family. I...