Clarion County Commissioner Braxton White attended the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline event at Zion Baptist Church Clarion, Pa.
CLARION, Pa. (EYT) — American writer Gever Tulley once noted that “Persistence and resilience only come from having been given the chance to work through difficult problems.”
For Clarion County Commissioner Braxton White, there have been a fair share of troublesome problems. Some date back to his childhood, but others are from recent months. At his lowest, he was not sure where to turn, but a call to 988, the national suicide and crisis hotline, saved his life and reaffirmed how purposeful his life is. But now, initiatives he’s working on with the County of Clarion have his recent documented struggles with mental health coming full circle.
White has been a leader, alongside Marci Hall, Mental Health/Developmental Disabilities/Early Intervention (MH/DD/EI) Director for Clarion County Human Services, in bringing positive change to the county in terms of mental health awareness. It’s bigger than knowing that mental health problems are real, though this stigma is still out there. However, just as important as overcoming the stigma is knowing where to turn and pouring into others that it is not shameful to utilize the resources available locally, statewide, and even nationally.
Over recent months, a task force of professionals from the county and partnering organizations was formed with professionals who work in mental health around the region to identify concrete ways the area’s response to mental health could be improved. The effort was formally previewed on Thursday, August 27, at Zion Baptist Church in Clarion. The result was a 12-month campaign formally launched last week at the beginning of National Suicide Awareness Month.
Overall, the goal of this yearlong initiative is to make the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline more widely known across the county to help those in need. Statistics suggest that roughly 98 percent of those who used this resource and were surveyed report that the service is helpful, and between 80 and 95 percent of calls to 988 are fully resolved during the call itself without needing additional dispatch. The marketing is being developed with assistance from Corkboard Concepts, a Pittsburgh-based marketing firm hired to assist the County of Clarion with intentional, genuine messaging targeted to help those in the area.
White kicked off this task force idea several months ago alongside Hall, and the duo quickly formed a strong task force together that came up with many ideas. Ultimately, they agreed that a 988 campaign was the best idea and set some objectives that could aid in this endeavor. The County of Clarion pledged $125,000 to help in the initiative, a commitment White appreciates and hopes others in the region will as well.
“That’s not a small number, and a lot of credit goes to Marci (Hall). She had money set aside for work in mental health, and we used it in this way. Part of this money is also meant to go towards helping those with opioid addiction and working towards recovery. Overall, this is a huge deal, and I know it’s going to save lives,” White emphasized.
“To put it simply, 988 is 911 but for mental health. If you’re facing a crisis or just going through a dark time, you can call or text 988 and a professional will help you discreetly. Studies have shown that communities with acute awareness of the availability of 988 see significant decreases in suicides, particularly among young people. Unfortunately, many folks in our community probably don’t even know it’s out there, which is why this awareness campaign is so important. The county’s investment is a first-of-its-kind program in a rural area, and we are really proud of that. But we will be more proud if it does its job and leads people to help and saves lives.”
Though there is still a stigma around mental health, there has been a lot of championing for people to become their own advocates and advocate for someone else in need, as well. There are resources from the local level all the way to the national level. Though access is not always a perfect storm, education about where resources are located and what they do can make a genuine difference in many circumstances. The same can be said about 988; more education is needed so individuals know it is available and what it is designed to do.
“Calling 911 for an emergency is widely known today, but thinking back to the 1970s, it wasn’t well known because they were just introducing it. It took around two decades for that to really firmly stick. The hope is that 988 can be 911 one day for mental health. It is widely known in many parts and by certain groups, but not so much by others. Hopefully, this campaign can close that gap locally in Clarion County. I think we are behind on usage here, but that doesn’t mean we can’t change to help more people,” White noted.
The 988 campaign has taken a lot of work, but the time allocated is worth it as long as it helps people who are in a vulnerable time in their life.
“I’m truly honored to serve Clarion County and help give back in this way. This is a big deal, and I’m grateful I have been able to go from a dark time in my life to now leading discussions and promoting resources for the community I care so deeply about,” he said.
Clarion County Commissioners Braxton White and Wayne Brosuis.
