Area group to receive $3.6M over five years

LAKE COUNTY – A Lake County suicide prevention non-profit will receive $3.6 million in federal funding to help further reduce the number of suicides in Lake County.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration awarded $736,000 each year for five years to the Circle of Trust Youth Suicide Prevention Program, according to program officials.

Montana and Wyoming have the highest per capita suicide rates in the nation.

“There have always been big gaps for people to access mental health services when they need them,” said Program Coordinator Roxana Colman-Herak. “This is really big. It means we can get a lot more data gathered and offer more training and mental health assistance.”

The program, formed in 2006, can also start funding special activities such as long-term “healing retreats” for returning military veterans.

“It is our vision, mission and goal to offer healing retreats for our younger soldiers who suffer with PTSD and bring in experts who can provide insight, understanding and healing to our returning soldiers,” Colman-Herak said.

Constance Morigeau, CSKT Tribal Social Services Department Head, looks forward to expanding.

“We will be hiring three mental health specialist/case managers who will  be stationed at different locations throughout the community providing counseling, assessments, referrals and follow-up on services received,” she said.

There are many aspects to adolescent development that heighten suicide risk. Morigeau said.

One of the most significant is “peer relationships” and the need to “fit in” which can put pressure on adolescents to not disclose suicidal thoughts and feelings they may be dealing with.

Fragmented families, drug and alcohol abuse, sexual identity issues, bullying and toxic influences all contribute to the increased risk of suicide in adolescents and young adults, according to program officials.     

“While our targeted age group is between 18-24 years of age, we are hopeful that the entire community can participate and support our efforts and education surrounding the challenges and obstacles facing our returning soldiers,” Colman-Herak said.

Since 2004, Montana has the highest proportional military enlistment ratios deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

“We will also partner with the Salish Institute and Kootenai Culture Committee to help develop year-round youth activities specific to their unique traditional values, customs, language and community needs,” Colman-Herak said.

Colman-Herak recently welcomed Jenny Fowler, Youth Activity Coordinator, Kayla Keplin Ridgley, Administrative Assistant and Melinda Smith, Outreach/Data Coordinator to the Circle of Trust.

“How far we go in life depends on our being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and the strong,” Colman-Herak said.  “Someday we will have been all of these.”  

But there is a lot of work to do.

“There are many troubling issues facing our youth, adults and elderly and those concerns are too often linked to substance abuses, legal or illegal substances,” she said. “Suicide crosses all lines and boundaries of age, race, gender, culture, social status and religious affiliation.”

The program offers free two-day Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training courses for anyone 16 or older.

 The ASIST model teaches effective intervention skills while helping to build suicide prevention networks in the community.

Over 1,000,000 people have taken the workshop, and studies prove the ASIST method helps reduce suicidal feelings for those at risk.