Hope for Mental Health

Mental health ministries come in a great variety of forms, from a resource list posted in the front office, to hosting groups & classes, to renting space to professional counselors. Bottom line : every church can do something, and it doesn't require lots of  money or a professional level of training.   Therefore, firmly believing that the Church is our hope for improving mental health & increasing mental health resources,  each month I will have a post about Christian resources.  This month, I want to feature a few local mental health ministries that offer both in-person & online groups:  Salem Alliance Church, Salem, OR Hope Connection is a monthly support group for people with a family member living with a mental  illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, or anxiety.  It meets on the first Monday of the month, 6:30-8:30pm in room 303 of the Broadway Commons, 1300 Broadway St. NE, in Salem.  There is no registration or fee required.   Contact Pasto

Just the word 'suicide' can strike fear into my heart, and I'm a retired mental health professional!  I have to remind myself of what I know, which is that everyone, not just professionals, can learn to talk about suicide & gain skills to make a difference.   Fortunately, there are online & in-person opportunities to learn: Polk County  provides free in-person 1-2 hour  trainings in suicide prevention.   (If enough people are interested, we could once again host a training at Monmouth Christian Church, so email me at HMH@mymcc.cc and let me know.)  You can go to the Mid-Valley Suicide Prevention Coalition website, www.mvsuicideprevention.org , and for $29 you can access an online "Gatekeeper" training in suicide prevention. You can be prepared for a crisis by entering the following numbers into your phone -  They 're available to call or text 24/7: Polk Country Crisis Line:   (503) 623-9289 Psychiatric Crisis Center:  (503) 585-4949 National Suic