Equity & Engagement

Empowering Communities for Mental Wellness

Lines for Life develops and advocates for culturally responsive and affirming mental health care through training, research, referrals, development of capacity, and collaborations as well as consideration of the social determinants of health to facilitate more effective and equitable mental health treatment and support to meet the needs of diverse communities.

Our Equity programs rely on leadership, input, and feedback from communities of color. We’ve created our programs to meet the unique needs of underserved populations and grow community skills in dispelling stigma, identifying mental health needs, and intervening in a crisis.

Racial Equity Support Line

Our Racial Equity Support Line was created to address the emotional impacts of racism including work issues, micro-aggressions, police interactions and the many other problems that people of color face daily. The helpline is answered by mental health professionals that are part of the community and have lived experience as people of color.

Speaking to someone who understands based on personal experience allows a kind of connection that is essential to providing direct support. Our counselors will work with anyone in Oregon over 18 to find resources and other options tailored to your situation, location, and financial ability.

Learn more about the Racial Equity Support Line and get help today.

Skill-Building for Culturally Specific Service Organizations

Communities of color benefit from seeking an array of services at culturally specific organizations – building hope and enhancing our quality of life while affirming our cultures and identities. Staff and volunteers at these organizations often act as vital touchpoints to connect participants to other resources and services.

We offer free training in Mental Health First Aid and QPR (suicide prevention) to CBOs, nonprofits, treatment programs, and other organizations that predominantly serve people of color.

This nationally accredited training helps provide knowledge, skills, and an action plan for supporting someone who is experiencing a mental health challenge.

Mental Health First Aid is an 8-hour training that addresses myths and truths about mental health conditions and equips participants with real skills to use when they encounter someone who is impacted by a mental health crisis.

  • Recognizing early warning signs
  • Knowing how to tell when signs are worsening
  • What to do in a crisis
  • Taking care of yourself while supporting others

Contact us to inquire about culturally-specific training opportunities.

Training for Barbers and Hair Stylists in the Black Community

Barbershops are a community hub, serving as spaces for social gathering, celebration, and sharing. We trust our barbers and hair stylists with our haircare and many folks are comfortable talking to them about how we’re feeling and what’s going on in our lives.

Barbers and hair stylists have a unique opportunity to listen for signs and symptoms of a mental health challenge and – with the right training – to respond appropriately, support someone, and recommend resources if needed.

We offer free training in Mental Health First Aid for barbers and hair stylists to learn these skills.

Contact us to inquire about training opportunities.

Meet the Equity Team

Martin Lockett

Martin Lockett

Director of Cultural Engagement

Kennedy Luddington

Kennedy Luddington

Cultural Engagement Coordinator

Gabriel Lavaly

Gabriel Lavaly

Cultural Engagement Coordinator

Mike “Bretto” Jackson

Mike “Bretto” Jackson

Community Advocate / Community Health Worker

Darryl P. Turpin, MPA, CADC

Darryl P. Turpin, MPA, CADC

Consultant and Advisor for Curriculum and Engagement

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Darryl P. Turpin, MPA, CADC
Consultant and Advisor for Curriculum and Engagement

Darryl brings 30 years of expertise in clinical services, equity, and community engagement to our organization. Darryl works to ensure that Lines for Life works through an equitable and culturally responsive lens so that all communities of color can have access to mental health resources that are relatable and accessible.

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Mike “Bretto” Jackson
Community Advocate / Community Health Worker

Mike “Bretto” Jackson works for POIC in the Community Healing Initiative/Elevate program where he mentors African American gang-impacted and formerly incarcerated young adults through culture, wellness, career-oriented employment, and introspection of self. He is also the co-director of Leaders Become Legends, an organization dedicated to providing mentorship through employment that helps create leaders in the community, most recently in the clean energy field. As a Lines for Life Cultural Advocate, Bretto hopes to help foster a better future through inspiring young adults to help others through a trauma-informed model of care. 

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Kennedy Luddington

Cultural Engagement Coordinator

As a project coordinator for internal equity initiatives and projects with external partners, Kennedy assists with alignment and organization across all equity-focused programs.

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Martin Lockett
Director of Cultural Engagement

Martin Lockett has worked at Lines for Life for two years, starting as a CADC Case Manager where he fielded calls from those who had been cited for small amounts of drugs in Oregon, conducted screenings, referred them to treatment resources in their locales, and provided certificates of completion for their court cases. Martin was then promoted to Director of Cultural Engagement where he oversees and works with a small but dedicated team that goes into the Black, Brown, and Native American communities to address the challenges that prohibit and discourage people of color from accessing mental health and substance use treatment. Mr. Lockett has lived experience in these challenges and persevered to earn a bachelor’s in sociology from Colorado State University-Pueblo and a master’s in psychology from California Coast University.  

Contact Martin at [email protected]

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Gabriel Lavaly
Cultural Engagement Coordinator

As cultural engagement coordinator, Gabe builds connections with various community partners to ensure that all communities receive mental health resources. Using strategic engagement strategies, Gabe works to empower community members with tools to uplift their communities through sustainable means.

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Our Commitment to Equity

Lines for Life is unwavering in our commitment to advancing mental health equity. We advocate that mental health looks different in communities of color and we work closely with our partners, local organizations, community leaders, and more to improve mental health in Oregon’s communities of color.

It is our mission to be champions of mental health and amplify voices of color in everything we do. Read our blogs to discover powerful stories that shed light on the lived experiences of communities of color and the work we are doing to shatter the stigma and promote mental health equity for all.