The local Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services Board brought in the non-profit 1N5 to speak with local business leaders.
Wednesday’s Suicide Prevention Training brought in department leaders from several companies, like ProVia and Allied Machine, to engage a better understanding of mental health crisis signs and symptoms.
1N5 Senior Program Manager Kelly Barry says a main take away is for leaders to recognize and make a connection, but not try to step in and fix.
“Foundational piece of what support looks like is something that’s called mindful listening or active listening. Nodding, so some body language, leaning in [to be] fully engaged, may be affirming what they’re saying. It’s kind of repeating it back [showing] you’re in that conversation.“
ADAMHS Board Executive Director Natalie Bollon says bringing in 1N5 coincides with their push of the Man Therapy website and highlighting the need for men to seek mental health services.
“Every opportunity we take like this decreases stigma and when we can let men know mental health is common and it’s common to have stressors, trauma, and triggers, and if we can make that something we can talk about publicly and in the community then we continue to chip away at the very thing that’s increasing suicide in our men in our county.”
In 2024, Tuscarawas County had 19 suicides, and all were men. Two-thirds of these were over the age of 50.
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